The Beast And The Narcissist
by mandaree1
Summary: Every family has a secret or an outcast, or perhaps both, as one or as two different people. Affairs, serial killers, etc, have sometimes been forever kept out of the public eye by family. Or, in my pathetic case, a family curse I had no clue about until I hit the all knowing age of 11. And then, they kicked me out. So much for being covered. DISCLAIMER i own Nothing! ch9 updated!
1. evil spirits all over part 1

**This is mostly for fun. Don't know if I'll even update. Review if you want. No flames though, got it? Good reader.**

_**April**_

_**Thursday**_

_**File one**_

_**Mai's P.O.V**_

Every family has a secret or an outcast, or perhaps both, as one or as two different people. Affairs, serial killers, etc, have sometimes been forever kept out of the public eye by family. Or, in my pathetic case, a family curse I had no clue about until I hit the all knowing age of 11. And then, they kicked me out. So much for being covered.

Yup, you heard right folks; I've got me a curse. Normally that would make everything seem mysterious, dangerous, or fun. In my case, it makes me furry. You ever hear about the whole 'I'll curse your great, great, great, great, great, grandchild?' or the well known one 'once every 500 years…'? Well, I'm one of them. Which one, well, I have no clue.

And yes, when I said furry, I meant _furry. _One of those lovely threats mentioned above hit me when I turned the happy go lucky age of 11, and from then on, I've been a talking mutt.

And before the whole fangirl squeal pops out of your mouth, I'm no werewolf! As far as I can tell, I'm a dog of no specific breed. Same thing to most, but you won't see me fighting sparkly vampires of walking around people with my shirt off for no specific reason.

My fur is shaggy (but not long) and brown, and I got short brown ears on top of my head my chest fur is dirty brownish-white. My paws (yes, paws) are white, with nice short nails that are good at tearing things, just not simple tasks most humans can perform with ease, such as putting on clothing or writing. My back paws (or legs, whichever you prefer) are the same. My tail is bushy towards the tip, and becomes smoother towards the tip. I've got a dog snout and even canine teeth. It makes it really hard to be polite when eating.

**(A/N: I just realized, I'm trying to describe a walking version of the animated Balto. Well, I don't own him, but you can look his picture up if you're having troubles.)**

And just to clear thing up, I can walk on both two feet or all fours. Both are comfortable, but fours is easier with the tail to do.

Most of you fangirls are probably thinking it's the best dammed thing you've ever heard off, but it _sucks_, big time. Paws are exactly flexible like human hands, and I have no opposable thumbs, so getting clothes on and off are a HUGE struggle I have t face every night and morning.

Fleas attack my apparently tasty fur-coat every summer and spring, leading me to be itchy for months on end. And before you question me, you try going to a vet for yourself! It never turns out well. ("hey, um, doc? You see, my pelt is getting attacked by these fleas, so if you could prescribe me some killers?")

Then there's school. I can't go to school with a furry face and paws! So, I end up being the only person who doesn't mind the dress code (they tried to fix that, they soon learned it wasn't going to work) by wearing a sweatshirt with a HUGE hood and jeans. As I'm sure you can guess, I keep my paws in my pockets pretty much all day and my face covered.

Because of this, I always end up with no friends, which gets pretty lonely. I was quickly kicked out of my family due to the whole dog look, and no people to talk to gets pretty annoying and boring. Although that is easily cured by my hysterical laughter that bursts out of me whenever I hear people say I'm a 'lone wolf'.

Which leads me to where I am now, hands in my pockets and hood over my face, telling ghosts stories with the only girls in school who bother talking to me: Keiko and Michiru.

I've always like the paranormal, and believed in it, for obvious reasons. So telling tales was my favorite thing to do in my free time. Where we start this story is actually me, finishing my story. It was pouring out, adding to the effect of the creepiness, as if the shadow the hood over my face hadn't done that already.

"And then the woman led the policeman through the dark hallways to the public restroom in the back. Once there, the policeman told her to go back inside and wait to see if she could hear the voice again. And she did just as she was told. 'Do you want me to cover you with a red coat?' She answered 'Y-yes.' AND THEN, she screamed! The policeman burst through the door and found the girl totally covered in blood as if she had a red coat draped over her." Original, I know, but I haven't had the time to find out new ones lately, with finals coming up.

"Mai you know we hate it when you use that creepy voice," Michiru said as Keiko leaned into her for comfort. _Sad part is, I know scarier ones, but I don't want to give these girls nightmares._

"AH, it's so dark!" Keiko said, getting a bit teary eyed as I turned my light off. _How does it make any difference? My lights been in my pocket the entire time, and it may be noticeable, but it's not exactly bright anyway._

"You're next Michiru," I told her. _Hopefully she'll have a good one._

"Okay, this one is about the old schoolhouse," she began. I frowned, and kept in a groan. _Not another story about that place!_

"Do you mean that creepy old building down the street that's collapsing?" Keiko asked. _What else is there? Is there another schoolhouse around here I'm not aware off?_

Michiru nodded before continuing, "It's not collapsing, it was being demolished when all the workers suddenly quit because of a curse." _Man, people always come up with the craziest of stories._

"Lots of people have died in that schoolhouse over the years. Most famously a teacher that committed suicide, so when they decided to build the new school, they started to tear down the old one… But then, the ceiling collapsed on some of the workers. The demolition ended that day. Last year they started the demolition again to make way for a new gymnasium, but a truck driving by lost control and crashed into a group of kids outside, killing some students." Keiko gasped. _Well, the schoolhouse is around 50 years old last I checked, so it doesn't surprise me that there might be some casualties there._

"But there's more. I heard about this from an upper classman. One night a student was walking past the old school, and in one of the windows they saw a glowing figure in the window before it disappeared." _Let me guess, a senior? I'd bet on my tail he was drunk or on something illegal. Or perhaps he was just tired. Everything can easily be explained._ "Here goes. One."

"Two, Keiko said shakily.

"Three,"

"Four," said a masculine voice. Michiru and Keiko gasped then shrieked before Keiko grabbed me by the neck. I silently berated myself. _You should have smelled him!_ Thankfully, my hood managed to stay in my face, and my paws were still unnoticeable in my pockets.

"The ghost is here to murder us!" one of them shouted, I didn't notice which; I was more focused on the girl who was holding me for dear life and the man at the door. the lights flickered on and Michiru stood up and faced the door.

"Oh please tell me that was you just now!" she said to the man at the door. _Strange…. He smells like… tea, and books…._

"Am I interrupting?" he asked, acting like he hadn't just scared us to death and back. Seems like while he smells nice, he'd actually a pain. Lovely... oh, excuse my sarcasm.

Michiru and Keiko fell back to their seats while Keiko exclaimed, "I thought for sure it was the ghost!"

The man started talking again, "Sorry, I didn't expect anyone to be here, but then I heard your voices and I couldn't help myself." He turned towards us with the fakest smile I'd ever seen.

Michiru and Keiko didn't seem to notice, though, and stood up for a better look at him, then said things like, "Oh no it's totally fine!" while giggling and running towards him, obviously attracted by what I could only suppose was some quality about him. I guess to people he was cute, but to me he was just another person passing through my standstill of a life… not worth thinking too much about.

"So what year are you?" one of them asked.

"I'm seventeen this year," he answered, facing the two in front of him.

_So he's a dropout? Strange, while as annoying as he seemed, he also looked like a smart guy._

"So we were just telling ghost stories," Michiru tried to start a conversation.

"I see, well maybe I could join you guys sometime," he answered blandly.

"Wow, you mean you like telling ghost stories too?" Keiko asked. _Who doesn't?_

He nodded, saying "Yes" which brought both of my friends into a giggling fit.

"You seem like a really cool guy, what's your name?" Michiru asked. _Wow, even I can tell she's flirting with him now._

"My name is Kazuya," he answered.

"Why are you here?" I demand. I know I must look creepy as hell, with a hood up over my face and a disembodied sounding voice coming from somewhere within. Maybe I can scare this guy away.

I suddenly found myself to be under his scrutinizing gaze. Unlike with Michiru and Keiko, his eyes were interested and curious. His eyes wandered over my sweatshirt covered body and I could almost feel the gears in his head turning as he tried to figure out just why I looked so strange to him, hunched over with my face covered and paws jammed deep into my pockets.

Finally he said"There are some things I need to take care of," he turned towards the door.

"Don't let us stop you." _by the way, that's girl for 'get the hell out of here!' or at least, it is in my case._

Michiru then asked, "Do you need our help or anything?"

_No. no he doesn't. Now, can we go back to our scary stories?_

"No, but I would love to be invited to join you the next time you tell ghost stories," he answered smoothly. _Great, a smooth talker._

"Of course, you're welcome anytime!" Keiko exclaimed happily.

"How about tomorrow, after school?" Michiru said.

"Okay, but where?" Kazuya asked.

"Right here!" Keiko answered.

_Well, I guess I'm skipping the next story telling. _

_**Friday**_

_'Good weather' I thought as I walked to school._ I came by the old school building, and stopped mid-step. I lifted my head and sniffed the air. _Something… is wrong. I better check it out._

I continuing a few steps up the building before stopping again and looking at it once more. Some crows cried in the distance, causing my ears to swivel towards the sound. Had anyone been watching, they'd see the top of my hood move on its own accord.

I walked to the door of the old building. Through the cracks in the glass I was able to look inside. _The new scent is coming from in there…_ I thought before stepping in.

I noticed that a camera was in the middle of the room, a shoe rack nearby. _No wonder why I smelled something strange, electronics have a weird scent._

"I thought this place was abandoned…" I said to no one. "It doesn't make sense that someone would just leave it here…"

I leaned down to look at it, about to light a paw out of my pocket to touch it, when I heard a masculine voice "who's there!?"

I shouted out, starting to leave. "I'm sorry, I'll leave now!" before accidently hitting a shoe rack, causing it to start falling.

_What is my luck?_

A few moments later I'm as on the ground, surprisingly uncrushed. Then the scent hit me,_ blood. _I look over, and a man next to me is lying on the ground.

Quickly I sprung over asking, "Hey mister, are you okay?" He didn't respond even the slightest. _Oh man, how am I gonna hide my fur with a prison uniform!?_

"What's going on in here?" I heard a man demand. _Kazuya? Oh man, this sucks!_

He wasn't smiling, and it seemed strangely more natural. "Lin, what just happened?" Kazuya asked the man, coming by his side.

"You're bleeding, can you stand?" Kazuya asked.

"Yeah," Lin said softly.

"This is my entire fault!" I quickly took responsibility "I will pay for his hospital bills an-" I was quickly cut off.

"Never mind about that, is there a doctor close by?" Kazuya said, facing me slightly.

I stood up and said, "There's a doctor just down the street from here. Would you like some help taking him there?" I was quite prepared to show my furry arms to help the fallen man.

"No thanks, you've done enough already as it is," Lin growled darkly while Kazuya helped him up onto his shoulder. _I hope he doesn't find out where I live, I don't really want to meet him again._

"We met yesterday, right? What's your name?" Kazuya demanded, adjusting the man on his shoulder who was obviously taller and probably heavier than him, making me believe he was pretty strong.

"Mai," I answered, unworried. If he wanted to find out my name, he could easily just go asking around my school.

"Alright then Mai, I thought you'd like to know you're going to be late for your first class since the morning bell just rang," He said snidely.

"I'm aware of that." I muttered, having heard the bell with my ears. I stood up and walked away, leaving them in peace.

_**Later**_

"Mai are you leaving now?" Keiko asked after the bell rung.

"We're supposed to tell ghost stories with that cute guy, remember?" Michiru added.

"No thanks" I muttered, remembering my brush with Kazuya earlier. I might have to run off if the police come. Then again, I could always take my clothes off and run to a nearby pound and act like a dog until the day I die.

"Aww come on Mai, please?" Keiko begged. "This is our chance to tell ghost stories with a senior!" _a senior who probably wants to kill me for hurting his friend. No way in hell._

"Did you say ghost stories?" a girl with glasses and two braids said from the door. _Isn't her name Kuroda?_ "Is that what you do after school every day?" she continued. She didn't seem happy.

We stayed silent.

"Well than no wonder I've had this headache for so long. I'm very attuned to spirits. When they gather in groups I get headaches." _Is that so? Well, if you were, you might notice I might be possibly possessed by a spirit! Then again, maybe I'm not. I still don't get much about this curse stuff._

"So you're blaming us for that?" I asked, then shrugged "I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but tons of kids here do it. That doesn't mean it was our fault you're getting headaches. Maybe you're stressed from exams?" I ended.

Yes I am. Whenever you tell one of your little ghost stories you attract low level spirits and they attract stronger spirits. And then we're in big trouble, so when you entertain yourselves with these stories you're putting me at risk!" Kuroda said stepping in front of us._ Nice way to ignore me completely_

"So tell me," I heard Kazuya say from the doorway efficiently sneaking up Kuroda, while I had smelled him earlier. "If you're sensitive to spirits like you claim do you sense anything with the old schoolhouse?"

I mentally sighed while Michiru and Keiko said at exactly the same time, "Oh my god Kazuya came to find us!" _or maybe for me… sadly._

Kuroda starting stepping towards Kazuya while saying, "Hold on, are you the one who put these girls up to telling these ridiculous ghost stories?" _how does that even make sense?_

You didn't answer my question," Kazuya answered calmly "Could it be your psychic abilities are made up?" _nice comeback. Man, he's rude._

For your information there are numerous spirits of those who died in the war that gather in the old schoolhouse. In fact, I'm positive that building was used as a hospital during the war. I've just seen too many injured spirits in there," Kuroda said, quite upset. Me, not being much of a history buff, was quite ready to yawn, just to speed things up.

Kazuya simply responded, "I was not aware of a hospital being here during the war. I know that this school was founded well before the war so maybe, this was a medical school?" _checkmate, Kuroda._

Kuroda then stopped being so tense and looked at him in shock before turning her face away saying, "Look I don't know. But I really do see spirits, if you're not psychic then you wouldn't understand." _This is getting far too personal for my tastes._

"Sorry Kazuya, can we do this some other time?" Keiko said shyly, obviously upset about all that had been said.

"Yeah I'm not in the mood anymore either," Michiru added, her head down, obviously ashamed.

"No? Perhaps another day," he said, turning to leave before looking at me. His interest from the night before was still in his eyes. "Oh, and Mai? Would you mind coming with me for a moment?"

"If I must" I muttered, hiding the fear beneath irritation.

We stepped out in the hallway as Michiru, Keiko, and Kuroda left. "How is your friend doing?" I asked, knowing I was in trouble anyway, so I might as well start this conversation.

"Yes about him, he suffered a sprain to his left leg and I'm afraid he won't be walking for a while," he said as we walked towards the exit.

"Sorry to hear that. What were you even doing in the schoolhouse?" _the saying should be curioustiy killed the dog._

"We were working," he responded.

"Ah," I said as I stopped walking, "You work for him. Are you his assistant or co-worker?"

Kazuya continued walking "No not quite." He stopped and turned to face me. "He's the assistant, I'm the boss," he told me.

"I see" my surprise is hidden as best as I can.

He continued, "Now my assistant is stuck in bed. I believe it is up to you to take his place."

I stiffened, "no way in hell."

"The camera is broken, "he said, changing tactics "My assistant tried to stop you from touching the camera, and now it is in several pieces."

"How much do I owe you?"

"It's… quite expensive," he said

"Then I guess I'm screwed." I told him, unworried. Dogs can eat pretty much everything. No food? Oh well, hand me that old car tire in the backyard.

"You can't afford to reimburse the damaged equipment which means there's only one other course we can take," he calmly replied "You'll work off the debt as my assistant."

Curiosity killed the hound "what do you do?"

Kazuya turned slightly away from me before answering, "I hunt ghosts. In other words I exorcise spirits- ghosts. My company, Shibuya Psychic Research, was hired to conduct an investigation on the old schoolhouse."

_What am I getting myself into?_

He turned away from me and heading down the hallway. "Psychic research is another term for spiritual investigations. We basically examine and scrutinize reports of supernatural phenomenon," he said as he walked before he turned around to face me again, his shoe squeaking on the floor as he did so. He then said, "And I run the company."

_I'm doomed._

_**Friday**_

_**Evening**_

I followed Kazuya outside, he did say I started right now, and I had no doubt he would literally drag me by ear to the schoolhouse. Kazuya lead me behind the schoolhouse and to a van. He opened the door, revealing lots of equipment. "I see why you have a fully grown man work for you".

"You'll have to help carry these" he told me, I stiffened once again.

"Um… I happen to have a rare hair condition coupled with a genetic disorder" I lied through my teeth "my hands… don't really work like normal hands."

"Can you pick things up?" he asked me, curiosity in his eyes once again.

"Yes."

"Then you can help." He told me, watching me from me to pull my arms (as far as he knew, they were arms, at least) out.

I slowly got my arms out form my sleeves, not missing the way his eyes widened slightly as he looked at my brown, furry arms. I'm more worried about the fact he was so smart, that he probably knew that I had paws, not deformed hands.

Instead of saying anything, he just handed me a box and started explaining "One week ago your principal contacted my company. He told me that the problem was that they constantly have to run damage control over a rumor that the schoolhouse is haunted.

"When I checked the records, I was able to verify until eighteen years ago, while the old schoolhouse was still being used, there would be at least one or two deaths inside the structure every year" _isn't that a lovely number? Excuse my sarcasm._

I grunted to show I was listening, feeling more than a little self-conscious about how my paws were out in the open for his probing gaze to look at.

"It's also true that when construction crews were demolishing the east side of the building, there was an accident were the roof collapsed prematurely. None of the workers died as a result, although five were injured in the incident which was ultimately blamed on human error. Construction ended with only a third of the planned demolition work ever being finished." We started to walk inside, each of us carrying something.

"A teacher did in fact commit suicide in the building, but that was explained in the suicide note left by the victim." _Can't blame the lady._

"The incident with the track last year was a drunk-driving accident. That's when construction was stopped for the last time. No doubt the rumors were a part in this decision. Based on my research the existence of paranormal activity here is nothing more than fiction. For a place this active every occurrence has a reasonable explanation.

"We will set up base here," Kazuya said, finished with his explanation, setting down his box on a table as we finally reached our destination in the schoolhouse. Knowing I would look like an idiot, I didn't mention I had no clue what a base was. _I thought that was for baseball, not ghost hunting._

He turned towards me before continuing with, "We will conduct all of our observations from this room."

"Okay" I silently thanked the gods that be that he explained what a base was.

"Set up those shelves for me. I'll start bringing in the equipment," he said as he got to the door.

"I'll try" paws don't grab things well.

I heard a creak from somewhere in the building. I leaned back and listened, tilting my ears behind my hood for a few moments, before I heard Kazuya say "Stop goofing off and get back to work

_I'm not going to get along well with my new 'boss', I can just tell._

_**Later**_

Soon all the equipment had been set up and on magnificently put-together shelves which I had put together. Kazuya seemed to realize that I'd rather not talk about my 'condition' and had stopped asking, but I could tell he was probably wondering what my face looked like. But I knew that if he saw my ears and muzzle, he'd know that I didn't have a condition.

"What are those?" I gestured with my paw to two strange looking cameras he'd brought in.

"An inferred camera and a thermal imagery camera. They're used to shoot in total darkness. This one uses thermography to record temperatures. When a spirit appears the temperature near it will drop and show up on the camera," he answered.

What made you decide to go into the ghost hunting business?" I asked curiously

"Because someone has to do it," he answered simply, looking over more equipment.

"It seems you know a lot" I complemented him, something that made me feel like I was making a bad mistake.

I'm very good at my job," he answered nonchalantly.

"Amazing, he's as smart as he is handsome," I rolled my eyes.

"So you think I'm handsome, huh?" Kazuya said, turning towards me.

"Me personally? No. I'm just saying what my friends said." I answered truthfully.

Kazuya turned back to the equipment before responding with, "Well, they have very good taste."

_From now own, your name is Naru the Narcissist!_ I thought savagely _I will never compliment you again, your head's gonna need a crane to lift it._

_**Later that day**_

"Well that's all we have to do for today" Naru said, stirring me from my half-asleep state I had fallen in after he made me set up cameras everywhere. And write down temperatures every hour. And let's not forget all the microphones. Did this guy do any work himself? I've never had a better workout though, not that I need to lose any pounds. I'm okay sized, for my breed.

"I'll see you here tomorrow," Naru continued while leaving.

"Likewise, sadly" I told him.

I walked out of the building and to the street, just in time for a flashlight to click on and to see kieko and Michiru.

"Mai? Have you been here with Kazuya all night long?" Keiko asked.

"What were you two doing?" Michiru added. I could feel my skin heat up under my fur. They couldn't possibly think that he and I were…?

"This is the strangest story I've ever told you" I started…

**Naru's P.O.V**

I walked over to the van to do a bit more research on the land itself; perhaps it is something that happened on the land that caused the haunting.

Although, what I really wanted to research was the girl, Mai.

I looked her record up, and she didn't have any conditions, yet from what I'd seen of her arms, something was very wrong.

The part that confused me was the fact it didn't look like he had hands… but instead, paws. I couldn't help but want to know what her face looked like.

Mai seemed to have a lot of secrets…. And I loved finding out secrets.

**Mai's P.O.V**

I had told my story about what I had gone through for the last few hours after us three had sat down on a bench. I wanted to just go asleep. I slumped down on the bench.

"Paranormal investigation?" Keiko asked.

"So he's not an upper classman," Michiru murmured. _Am I the only one who isn't surprised?_

"According to him he's a ghost hunter," I repeated. "I didn't see any weapons though, so I can't see him tracking anything down."

"Mai?" Kuroda appeared. What's she doing here so late? "I was wondering if you would introduce me to him."

"I'm sure Naru remembers you" I murmured "you've made quite the impression on him" _good or bad, I'm not sure_ "just go up and talk to him."

"What's this Naru stuff all about?" Michiru asked. Oh right, I didn't tell them about that yet.

"That guy's got to be the biggest narcissist I've ever met in my life! I can't believe I actually have to work for him now!" I responded irritably.

"You know, I have many psychic abilities myself and I think I could really help Kazuya with his work," Kuroda continued.

I shrugged "I'm sure you could. Just ask to work with him; I doubt he'll say no."

We sat there in an awkward silence for a bit before Michiru and Keiko stood up, Michiru saying, "Let's go Mai," as she took my clothed arm and dragged me down the street.

We made it in front of a shop before we stopped as Keiko said, "That girl is such a weirdo, she's been like that since middle school."

"Yeah, she's a freak," Michiru added on, making me cringe. _There wrong… there talking to the freak…._

I turned towards Keiko before asking, "Wasn't she in a lot of the same classes as you Keiko?"

"Yeah, and she would constantly bug people about her spirits or whatever," she said as she and Michiru started down the street again. I turned around to see if Kuroda was still there, but she had left.

"Wait, I know why she wants to help Kazuya! Maybe she's already fallen in love with Kazuya!"

"EW! Gross!" they said before they started giggling. I wanted to scream how wrong they were, but I said nothing.

_**Saturday**_

I walked up to the van where I figured Naru was, and sure enough, I found him reading a clipboard.

"What's that?" I pointed at what was probably research.

"Checking yesterday's data. So far there seems to be nothing unusual," he answered before a man and a woman walked up.

The woman's heels clicked as she said snidely, "That's some fancy equipment you got there. It seems a bit too high-tech for a couple of children to be playing with." _Great, I hope we don't have to work with you._

"And who might you be?" Naru asked as I tried to hide my paws behind my back_. I don't want anyone to see…_

"I'm Ayako, the shrine maiden. The principal wasn't sold on you so he called me to drive the spirits out," she responded. _Lovely, yet another arrogant person to deal with._

"I was under the impression that only innocent virgins can become shrine maidens," Naru said snidely. I winced, _damn, that was below the belt. Excuse the horrible pun, I couldn't think of anything else to say._

"I see, and, your point?" Ayako said slightly peeved. _And she is apparently she is ignorant and arrogant._

"At the very least I'd say you're looking a little old to be calling yourself a maiden," Naru said bluntly.

"Nice, very funny you smartass," she said, her voice shaking with anger.

I turned to the man "I feel sorry for you if you're her assistant. I can barely deal with my boss, and I've only been here two days."

"I'm a monk from Mount Kouya. The name's Takigawa Houshou," he responded, straightening up.

"Since when were monks allowed to have long hair?" Naru asked. I couldn't help but feel thankful that he hadn't made comments like this on my arms.

"Ahem, apostate," Ayako coughed. _She seems to be a wonderful person. Sorry, my sarcasm is acting up again._

"Hey I'm just on a little hiatus, okay? At any rate playtime is over, kids. Now you may have gotten this gig because your office is nearby, but the principal himself said it seemed like a scam to have a teenager running the show," the monk said, getting a bit aggravated.

_This isn't going to go well._

Naru coolly responded "Did he now?"

"The principal's wasting his money. There's no need to have all of us for such a simple job," Ayako said confidently.

"Yeah, all he really needed was me," the monk said. _Since I'm not going to know you for very long, I think I'll just call you monk. I'll forget your name eventually_.

"Right, I wouldn't be so sure," Ayako argued back.

They just stared at each other until we were interrupted by a voice saying, "Oh, thank goodness you're all here. That haunted old schoolhouse has been terrorizing me for weeks."

"Kuroda?" I greeted, turning to her.

"You see, I'm a psychic. The souls of those trapped there have-"

"Stop grandstanding. You're just looking for attention," Ayako rudely interrupted. "Are you really that desperate for people to like you?"

"Why don't you give people a chance?" I defended "or are you just too caught up in _your_ world to give a damn?" I was once again hopelessly ignored.

"She claims to have psychic abilities in hopes it will somehow make her popular."

Suddenly Kuroda's muscles got tense and cold, meaning she was mad. "I'm going to call a spirit to haunt you," she said coldly.

"Hold on Kuroda," I said "there just idiots, calm down."

She ignored me. "You're the fake, and you'll regret this," she said as she turned around and left.

I didn't follow.

I looked over at naru "what are we doing today Naru?"

"Wait, what did you just say?" Naru asked, looking very confused. "Did you just call me Naru?" he said as he stood up to face me.

"Uh, sorry, I…" I answered. _Great, now he knows what I refer to him as…_

"Where did you hear that?" he asked looking angry.

"naru the narcissist" I explained "it fits you."

"Morning everyone, nice to see you all," a voice said from behind us. _That must be the principal... I don't see him often... who's behind him?_

"Say hello to John Brown," he continued, stepping away as John Brown bowed.

"Goo' day mates," he said as he bowed. He straightened up and said, "My name's John Brown, and I came from the great outback of Australia. I can't express how excited I am to join you."

"I like your accent" I told him "it's very interesting"

Ayako and Monk were having a giggle fit as my principal said, "Mr. Brown is relatively new to our country so please show him the respect he deserves."

Monk stood up a bit as he laughed while Ayako said through her laughing, "No no let me guess, you're looking for a playground, right?" _give it up already. He's probably older than Naru._

John looked used to it as he responded, "Well, actually I practice the ancient art of exorcism."

Both Ayako and Monk stopped laughing to evaluate him. _Like a new threat…_

"Only those who have been ordained in the Catholic Church as priests have the ability to conduct exorcisms. You seem young for that," Naru said questioningly.

"Wow, you really know your stuff mate, to be honest I just turned nineteen a few weeks ago, that's why I look so young," John said as he scratched the back of his head.

Suddenly, he seemed to find new interest in me. "I hate to ask this" he told me "but is there something wrong with your arms?"

Suddenly I had everyone staring at _me_, or, to be exact, my arms_. _"It's…. a condition" I uneasily told them, before shrugging "let's go inside."

He seemed to want to ask more, but Naru started inside, and everyone followed, leaving me in peace.

_**Later**_

We all were in base, despite Monk and Ayako's apparent distrust in Naru.

"So we have an Australian exorcist, an apostate monk, and a teenage ghost hunter," Ayako said.

"And an old shrine maiden" I countered.

"Obviously this bone-headed principle doesn't have much faith in my unique cleansing abilities. Hmph, Just watch, I'll clear this entire place myself," she said as she left the room.

_Why do they keep ignoring me?_

"I'm going to do a walkthrough, see ya later," Monk said as he also left the room.

"Uh, excuse me, sir?" John asked politely to Naru. _Wish Naru was that nice._

"You may do as you wish," Naru told him.

"I mean, I'd really like to work with you on this," John continued.

Suddenly we heard a scream. "That sounds like Ayako!" John said as we rushed to where the scream oriented from.

We rushed over and ended up gathered in front of a door as Ayako banged on it and screamed, "Open up!"

"Stand back!" Monk shouted through the door. "I'm going to kick it down!"

My nose twitched. _Do I smell what I think I smell?_ I sniffed a little deeper, not heard over the noise. _Kuroda…._

"Hurry up and do it!" she shouted back. Monk then kicked the door down forcefully.

We all gathered in base after that, I having made Ayako sit down for a little bit as she explained what happened.

"I was looking around the classroom. Suddenly the door slammed shut. I tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. There's definitely a spirit here," she explained. _I could smell kuroda on that door, it was her, not a ghost._

"No, there isn't. I haven't sensed one paranormal being," a voice said from the doorway. I look over, a girl in a Kimono.

Her smell hit my nose and I jumped back in shock. _Makeup, lots and lots of makeup. It smells horrible!_

"Relax Mai, she's human," Naru said, as though I'd thought she was a ghost, as the girl stepped further into the room. "Masako Hara is a spirit medium," he explained.

"Fantastic, so now they're calling in a TV star?" Monk said snidely.

"This is ridiculous. It's easy to fake results on television. The only reason she gets ratings is because she's pretty and wears that silly kimono," Ayako told everyone in the room.

Great. Can I go home now?

"Why thank you, I take that as a compliment," Masako said. _I… really don't belong here. Everyone here has (or claims to have) something special, while all I have is fur… I really want to leave._

"Well, trust me it's not," Ayako said rudely.

Masako ignored her while turning to Naru saying, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you before."

"Yes, we've never met but your reputation precedes you," Naru answered.

"Right," she answered softly. Had this been a cartoon, I could imagine tiny hearts flying around her head. She liked Naru.

"Anyway, there is a haunting here. In my professional opinion, we're dealing with an earth-bound spirit," Ayako said. _I didn't realize she was a professional. She doesn't act like one._

"I believe it's a residual haunting. A traumatic event must have happened in this building in the past," Monk inputted. "I think the entity is afraid it's going to lose its home, so it's attempting to block the construction,"

Naru then turned to John, asking, "John, what do you think?"

"Well to be honest I'm not sure, but usually a haunting does originate with a ghost or spirit occupying a structure," John answered.

"So it's either a haunting, or fiction and folklore," Naru said. He turned towards me. "Are you listening Mai?"

"Why?"

"These are things you need to learn," He responded.

"I'm aware of that." I told him, sounding disinterested.

"Enough talk, I'm getting rid of this thing as soon as I get back," Ayako said as she turned around and left the room. "I don't know how long I can put up with you people," she muttered to herself.

Ayako got to the door when Kuroda came in front of her, blocking the path. "I wouldn't be so confident in your abilities. The spirit that haunts this site is incredibly powerful," she said.

_Here we go again._

"Move aside," Ayako said as she pushed Kuroda to the side before leaving. I ran over to her as she slid down the wall. I lifted her, knowing she could feel my fur, but didn't care.

I helped her sit up before she looked at me, as though I could be of any use, and said, "The spirit attacked me."

I could feel the statement have its effect on everyone.

"It's true," she continued, "I was walking down the hallway when suddenly my hair was yanked back with amazing force. When I tried to flee it started strangling me. 'You're interfering with this site. Leave or die,' is what I heard it say."

"When did this happen?" Naru asked calmly.

"A few minutes ago, in the second floor hallway," she answered.

"That's false, there are no spirits here," Masako interrupted.

"Yes there are! There definitely are. And they're angry," Kuroda responded hotly. _Cat fight!_

"You said it was the second floor hallway?" Naru asked before turning towards the monitors and typing something in. I didn't look, but I could smell Kuroda on the machine.

_I think I'll keep this quiet… for now._

I saw static on one of the screens. "What just happened, is the camera broken?" I asked. _That must be Kuroda's work._

"No, but it is quite strange," Naru answered. He explained (although mostly for my sake, probably), "When a spirit becomes active electronic equipment will often malfunction, but here I am not so sure. Is it, a spirit or EMF interference…"

"It's quite obviously a spirit. Interference doesn't cause someone to be attacked," Kuroda defended.

"But Masako said there are no spirits here," I mentioned.

"Well let's just say I'm a little skeptical, about her," Kuroda said with venom lacing her tone.

"It's common for female mediums to be either exactly right or way off base," Naru said, almost sensing the cat fight waiting in the air. "Even if she can't sense any spirits now doesn't mean the haunting isn't active. If what you say is true, then it's possible that the spirit than inhabits this place is very attuned to your wavelength," he continued.

"Yeah, that's right," Kuroda said.

_If that's the case, then all this our fault? She did say that ghost stories attracted spirits… Oh no, did our telling ghost stories about this place actually attract real ghosts?_

_Why me?_

**Again, this is for fun. Please review if you like, but I don't know if I'll continue this.**


	2. evil spirits all over part 2

**Here's my chapter 2. Read and review! No flames!**

_**Mai's P.O.V**_

_**April**_

_**Saturday**_

I was just watching Ayako give her exorcism. She was so cocky yesterday, so I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe it's useful. I could not even think that this would work, and it almost seemed like she wasn't sure either, she did say to watch her while she did it.

"What is she doing?" I asked Naru.

"Have you never heard of noruto?" Naru asked.

"No."

"They're just Shinto incantations," Monk said, whom was leaning over John's shoulder, "but I'm starting to wonder if she can even pull this off."

"I've never seen anyone perform a Shinto exorcism before, let's watch," Naru said. I fell silent, and I could smell Kuroda nearby, she was stock-still, listening to the exorcism.

Ayako just continued her weird chanting, waving the stick with paper on it around. Is this seriously going to work? Nothing seems to be happening…

"That's it," Ayako said, done with her crazy chant. "Now you'll have nothing to worry about."

"I have to say I'm quite impressed," one of the men said. I couldn't remember which one was which, I wasn't around them enough to really distinguish the two, one was the principal and the other was the vice principal I think, they both wore suits so I had nothing to go on.

_Not that it mattered._

"It was presented beautifully, thank you so much," the other said. _Not that you know what they usually looked like. Then again, neither do I._

What would you say to a party tonight in your honor?" one of them asked. _Can principals even do that?_

"I can't, I must stay here for the next twelve hours to keep an eye on things," Ayako said, turning down the invitation. _Wow, she almost sounds noble. She would to, if I hadn't met her._

"Of course, I understand, you're a true professional. Maybe we could meet up for lunch sometime," the man offered instead. The three walked to the front doors while Monk yawned.

"She's finally done," Monk exclaimed while stretching_. Thank god._

As Ayako and the men were about at the door, though, I heard one of the glass panes break.

They gasped as more cracks could be heard. We turned back surprised before suddenly all the glass burst inside and towards the three adults. They shrieked before falling to the ground to try to cover themselves from the glass.

We ran towards them to check what happened, John and Monk going to check on the three while Naru and I stayed back. _No way am I getting involved in this. Still think she's a professional now?_

"Hey, are you alright?" Monk said as his feet crushed glass.

"This man is bleeding!" john exclaimed. _Why is that such a big shocker?_

Oh no, looks like he is too," Monk called, "What about you Ayako?"

"I'm alright," Ayako said calmly, albeit a bit shaken. _Damn, and here I was hoping you'd learned your lesson. _

"Are you okay sir?" Monk asked one of the men.

"Yes I'll be fine," he repiled shakily.

"Can you stand?" Monk said, helping the man up.

The ambulance soon arrived, taking both the men to the hospital. "I thought you said there would be nothing to worry about now," Kuroda said snidely, "Looks like your little exorcism didn't work. Your failure just sent the principal to the hospital."

_That was too far, I wasn't going to stand by her on this one. Her scent may not be on the glass, but something tells me she had something to do with it._

Ayako tensed up before Masako interrupted "That was a simple accident."

"Thank you, I thought I did my job very well," Ayako said turning towards Masako. _I don't think that's what she meant…_

"I'm not saying your exorcism worked, it couldn't have because there was no spirits here to begin with," Masako said calmly. _Well, at least we know where she stands._

"Yes there are! I was nearly killed by one of them earlier today!" Kuroda shouted at her.

Then we got back to the base John commented, "Maybe it was a coincidence."

"Or there's something here, something too strong for Ayako to drive away," Monk said thoughtfully. _Something tells me that's not it…._

"If that were the case then there would be more conclusive readings on my equipment," Naru said.

I glanced at the monitors, more or less bored with the conversation, when I noticed the chair.

"Hey, that room didn't have a chair in the middle of it yesterday, did it?" I asked, trying to remember.

"That's one of the classrooms on the second floor," Naru commented. I remembered all the classrooms on the second floor, and not a single one had a chair in front of it.

"As far as I can remember, there wasn't any chair there when I put the camera up." I told them.

"Houshou, have you seen anyone go inside that classroom?" Naru asked.

"No," he responded.

"Me neither," John echoed.

I watched as naru did a play back, and it showed the chair moving when the glass broke, something I'd never seen before.

"Was that a ghost?" I asked.

"It looks to me like a poltergeist," Kuroda said calmly.

"A poltergeist?" I asked Naru, but Kuroda answered for him.

"It's a German word dating back four centuries that means 'noisy ghost'," Kuroda answered, pushing her glasses up as she continued, "They're manifestations that can influence and move objects at will." _That sounds like one heck of a ghost…_

Naru stepped back from the computers and answered back. "That is correct, but I don't think that's what we're dealing with," he said, "Quite often objects that are manipulated by a poltergeist will feel warm to the touch. If we look at our thermographic image, we can see the chair is not radiating heat."

"But don't forget Tisane's criteria," John interjected.

"Who's Tisane?" _well, I sound like an idiot, but oh well._

"E. Tisane," Naru began, "He was a French policeman who was the first one to classify poltergeists-throwing objects, strange noises, fires, doors closing by themselves, and so on. There are nine different criteria in all, and so far we've seen a number of them at this site. We have doors closing on their own, inanimate objects moving, and glass breaking, which makes up three of the nine criteria."

"But what about Kuroda getting attacked?" I asked. _If I don't bring it up, no one will_. I crossed my arms, hoping they weren't staring at my paws.

"I'm afraid it was just her imagination," said Masako.

"Stop playing games with me!" Kuroda answered snappily. "Why can't you admit this place is haunted?" she asked as Masako made her way out of the room.

She turned back to the room slightly at the doorway, saying, "Alright then, I'll try once more. I will sense them if there are any spirits here," before leaving base.

"If we truly are dealing with a spirit here, and Masako can't sense it, that would be quite a shock," John said as soon as she was out of earshot.

"There's no evidence suggesting there is one," Naru replied calmly.

_And now we're sticking up for Masako._

"Do you always give in to a pretty face?" I asked bitterly. I know it's dumb of me, but I'm self-conscious about my face. I'm not exactly what you would call pretty, unless you're a dog fanatic. So I have to know if Naru's gonna fire me (even though I don't have a job) because my face is ugly, yet give Masako whatever she wants because she's beautiful.

I'm quite familiar with Miss Hara's work," Naru answered calmly. "I firmly believe she's one of the best in her field. All I'm doing is giving her the respect she deserves."

"I'm much more talented than she is and I'm not getting nearly that level of respect," Ayako said hotly back.

I paw-palmed, not that they could see that too well. "here we go again."

Yet again, I was ignored. "What is it about you that I should hold in such high regard, because I'm drawing a blank," Naru said back.

"What did you just say?!"Ayako yelled. She probably would have continued if we hadn't started hearing creaking noises above us.

We looked at the ceiling and waited, I trying to smell for the scent of snapped wood over head of us.

"Creaking noises," Monk said in slight awe.

"Do ghosts do that?" I have to ask, dumb sounding or not.

The creaking noises got louder, and suddenly we heard a scream.

"It's Masako! Someone call an ambulance!" John said as he looked at some of the screens.

Soon the ambulance arrived to take Masako away.

She had fallen from the second floor.

**_Naru P.O.V_**

The portion of the eastern wall that had been demolished was boarded up with weak plywood and was by no means structurally sound. She must have leaned on it, causing it to break underneath her weight," I explained. "Ms. Hara herself said that it was an accident, she told me as she was on the stretcher that she was being careless, and that there are no spirits inside."

"We can't deny it anymore," Ayako responded, "There's obviously a force here."

I could almost _see_ Mai rolling her eyes. She seemed to be pretty uncaring either way about what could come out of this fight.

"Oh, are you referring to the one you failed to exorcise?" Monk intervened. Ayako huffed in annoyance and turned her head. "We're playing with fire. An unsuccessfully exorcised spirit is like a wounded bear."

"So, what happened to Masako was Ayako's fault," Mai commented, seemingly disinterested. Her strange paw-like hands shoved into her pockets as her hood was turned to Ayako.

"Oh please," Ayako responded.

"Listen," I said, stopping the bickering, "from what I saw on the video it was just an accident."

Mai just shook her head "then why do people say this place is haunted? Or is everything explainable."

"That may be true," I said.

I turned to her, trying to see into her hood. I desperately wanted to see her face, and I'm not sure why.

"But there is simply not enough readings on the equipment to prove it. There aren't any temperature fluctuations, no ionic polarization, and the EMF readings are normal, the proof just isn't there."

"But, Ayako was trapped in that room!" Kuroda yelled. _At least she let go of being attacked_. "And I was attacked upstairs!" _Thought too soon._ "Something also moved the chair, broke the glass, and erased the video!"

"Like I said I'm still not convinced," I responded. Mai stiffened, and I got the strangest feeling she knew something I didn't.

"Maybe we're dealing with a highly intelligent spirit that knows how to hide from your machines," Monk suggested.

"Does that even exist!?" I wanted to laugh at the tone of voice Mai had taken.

"What do you really think?" I asked.

"I still believe that it's a residual haunting," he responded honestly.

I turned towards John. "And you, John?" I asked.

"Well, I'm not sure, but I do agree it's become quite dangerous here," he responded.

"Now, tell us what you're thinking," Monk asked me.

"I'll hold off on my opinion for now," I responded, "I'd like to investigate this from a slightly different angle." I then left the room, going off to investigate.

**_Mai P.O.V_**

"So what do you think about this guy?" Monk said as Naru left without any indication on what he was about to go do. "He knows how to put on a show with all this equipment but I'm not convinced the boy wonder knows what he's doing."

"Then why are you working with him!?" _oh yeah, money._

"Let's get started," John said as he prepared to do his exorcism upstairs while we were left at base.

"The teenage exorcist finally makes his appearance," Monk commented as I listened to the microphone John's exorcism.

"Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name," I heard John say over the speakers along with water splashing.

"Is that water?" I asked myself.

"Holy water," Monk simply responded.

I heard some pages being turned before hearing John continue with, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God," before hearing similar snapping sounds from earlier today.

_Oh great. Here we go again._

More strange noises," Kuroda commented.

"Wait, turn up the volume," Monk said. I reached over to where I know the sound was and turned up the audio of John's praying. I heard more snapping noises.

I trained my ears to listen closer, hoping to know exactly where the noise was coming from. Finally, it hit me. "The ceiling," I said out loud before it sank in. I had to get John out of there!

I ran off as I heard Monk shout "Hey, where are you going!"

I burst into the room "Look out!" I yelled as he stopped his prayers and looked at me.

"Mai!" John shouted back, obviously confused.

"Move it!" I responded. "The ceiling's falling!"

"What..?!" John said looking up.

"John!" I shouted as it began to fall down. "JOHN!"

I jumped and heaving my body weight full-force, so we both were sent foreword. Three things remained key in my mind as this happened.

The ceiling was falling.

We are screwed.

My hood was pushed back from the force of the wind.

**_Moments later._**

"I don't believe this," Monk said as the group looked around the room at the pieces of the ceiling.

"If Mai hadn't acted so quickly, I could have easily been injured or even killed," John stated.

I knew that they weren't looking at the ceiling, but instead and my furry face. They were all staring at me, my ears, my nose, and nuzzle, etc.

Ayako surged forward, walking swiftly towards me. She stopped two feet in front of me and bent down, blue eyes to brown. She lifted a hand up and, surprisingly hesitant, poked my ear with a fingertip.

"These… are real…"

Even in the situation I was in, I couldn't help but laugh. "Well no shit."

"How is this even possible?"

The others seemed to be no longer in a dazed state, and instead walked forward to crowd around me. "You're the exorcist, you tell me. Some kind of curse. Don't like it, then leave."

They all winced, as though I'd put hot charcoal on their backs, and suddenly everything was back to normal, as though they didn't have a person that looked like a dog in there midst's.

Naru continued the conversation where it left off. "In the interest of safety I think we should call it for the night," Naru said as he looked at the room again, "Mai, you're dismissed."

"Really?" I responded. I'd expected questionings, exile, something of that sort. But… nothing?

"Yes," was his simple response.

"Alright, I guess I'll be back bright and early, while there's still life there's still hope," Ayako said dismissively.

"Just admit it and say you're scared," Monk said. I was confused and unsure. _Where they seriously going to leave it at that? Well, I'm not about to bring it up. _

Well seeing as I nearly lost my head a minute ago, I think I'll take your advice and retire for the evening," John said to Naru before heading out.

"You leaving?" I asked Naru, who was still looking around. I tilted my head to the side- yet another dog like action they'd have to get used to.

"Not yet, there are a few more things I want to investigate," Naru said, back facing us while he inspected the room.

"Cool." _Well, don't let me get in the way._

Kuroda stood by me for a while before we both left and went home, my hood was back up before I even left the room.

No one mentioned a thing.

**_Sunday_**

I walked up to the van, figuring he was probably there.

It was there I found him sleeping in the back, his coat covering him like a blanket.

_Why am I shocked that he actually sleeps? He's only human._

"Naru?" I said to try to get his attention. "Did you sleep here last night? That can't be good for you."

He sifted around, waking up before responding "Hey Mai, what are you doing here at this hour?"

"It's almost noon."

"Morning!" I heard Monk call. He, Ayako, and John apparently arrived together. "Looks like someone had a rough night."

"Looks to me like someone's trying to leave early," Ayako said.

"You're right," Naru responded, all sleep gone from his tone, although he still didn't get up.

"So you're finally admitting your 'expert' opinion is totally wrong?" Ayako said accusingly. _And I thought she hated me! Damn!_

"Is that true?" John asked.

"No, I'm leaving because I already solved the case," Naru responded.

I couldn't help but comment. "That was fast."

"So you cleaned that schoolhouse, by yourself?" Monk asked.

"No, I didn't do that, there was no need to," Naru responded simply.

"What are you talking about!?" he asked

"What did you do?" I asked, looking towards Naru as he typed on a laptop, holding myself in from looking at the screen.

"Last night I compiled all of my experiments," he answered, "These are some surveying results." He turned the screen towards us.He continued saying, "The schoolhouse is sinking. In fact, it sank point 2 inches just last night."

"It what?" Monk yelled.

Naru faced the group before continuing, "It's called land subsidence."

"Yeah, so what? You think subsidence is to blame for the phenomenon we've experienced?" Ayako said, testing Naru, again. _Get over yourself!_

"This entire area is built upon reclaimed swampland," Naru stated, trusting his facts. "When I looked into the distribution of wells that were once at use, I discovered a large aquifer that passed underneath the schoolhouse, but when I checked the wells that are in the immediate area, I found them all to be dry."

"The soil here was weak to begin with, and since the water is dried up there's a hallowing affect happening underground, so naturally the structure above it will be sinking," he explained. He seemed to be happy to get this over with.

"You're saying the glass, the chair moving, and the ceiling collapsing, are all due to subsidence?" Monk asked, still not convinced.

"Yes, the floor in the classroom on the eastern side of the building where the ceiling collapsed was three inches lower than on the west side," Naru explained.

"Sounds like structural failure to me," Monk said, looking at Ayako to see what she would say, much like an old couple would.

"But what about the strange noises?" Ayako demanded.

"Probably the sound of the wood shifting," Naru said, closing the laptop, "We should have the surrounding area declared off-limits," he said as he stood up and looked at the schoolhouse. "It's so structurally unsound it might come down any day now."

**_Naru P.O.V_**

We ended up at base where Mai and I started packing his equipment as the others watched. She tried her hardest to help, but her paws (I'm guessing their paws after all) made it impossible, so she stood off to the side, letting us work. I couldn't help but notice her hood was up once again.

"I knew it!" Kuroda said when she found out about my explanation. "You can't explain what attacked me, can you?"

"If what you claim really did occur, then perhaps it's the work of a floating specter that's following you," I told her, and didn't miss the soft snort issued from Mai's corner.

She looked at me before responding, think up what to say. "Just listen! I'm not making this up!" she said.

"Are you leaving?" Mai asked, no surprise in her tone. I wasn't sure if I could leave her alone. This girl, this _dog_, seemed to be so strange compared to some people I knew that I wanted to delve into her puzzle for my entire life until I could figure out why she was so strange looking.

"Yes, the job's done," I answered her as I put more wires into one of the boxes. The job may be done, but I felt as if this would not be the last time I saw this group or the old schoolhouse.

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

"Right," I answered, my ears going back slightly in somberness. I was kinda liking this job. "I guess it is huh?"

"There is a spirit here, I know it," Kuroda said, her expression a bit complex.

You're wrong, I have scientific evidence to back up my claim," Naru said.

"Here we go again." I sighed, shoving my paws into my pockets.

"Did you ever consider that maybe the spirit is avoiding your tests?" she yelled back.

"Then exorcise it yourself, that should be easy for someone with your skills," Naru said. Kuroda glared back while Naru turned back towards the other side of the room with the rest of the equipment. "There's nothing more for me to investigate here so I'm leaving, end of story," he finished.

Suddenly we heard glass cracking. The panes right next to Kuroda were cracking. Kuroda, who had figured what would happen next due to Ayako's experience, ducked while the rest of us got ready for action.

She screamed as the glass fell, but seemed to be alright. "Kuroda!" I yelled, mostly out or reflex.

"What's going on?" Ayako said, seeming to voice everyone's thoughts.

"Well it's more than just the place sinking!" Monk said.

"Knocking sounds, that's another one of Tisane's criteria!" John yelled over the noise.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Monk yelled.

Naru seemed to snap out of whatever it was he was in and yelled, "This is it! Everybody, out! GO, Mai!"

Smelling the fresh air from outside, I quickly shifted to four feet, running like someone had stepped on my tail. I didn't even look back to see if they were following me when my hood feel back.

And I don't regret a single cowardly action.

**_Later_**

We stood in front of the building again.

"Are you okay, Kuroda?" I asked, smelling blood.

"You're bleeding, let me see your hand," Ayako said, gently taking Kuroda's hand. "It's okay, cut's not too deep,"

Monk looked at us then towards Naru, who was staring at the building. Then Monk started yelling, "What was that? And don't try to feed me that sinking theory again. That was a full-on poltergeist wasn't it?!"

Ayako tied up Kuroda's hand in a handkerchief before also turning towards Naru. "That sound wasn't just the creaking of an old building, something was definitely banging on the walls."

John turned to talk to us. "That means we've already witnessed four of the nine criteria that were laid out by Tisane," he said, still wanting to work with Naru, not against him, it seemed.

"Can I go home?" no answer, I sighed "I could hope."

"That just goes to show that you can't depend too much on technology," Ayako said spitefully. "For a minute there I was actually going to believe you and your phony results."

"Stick around, Naru, and you'll see how the true professionals do things," Monk told him.

"Maybe it's time someone went back to school," Ayako said as she and Monk left the scene.

"You've got no room to talk!" I yelled after him, turning towards a new blood scent. "Naru… you're bleeding."

"It's nothing serious," he said, holding it up as if to make a point. "It's just a scratch. I will be fine," he said his tone seeming to be pissed off, although it didn't seem to be aimed towards me. "You should just tend to Kuroda."

"kuroda isn't my boss." I told him, crossing my arms.

It wasn't until the wind blew against my ears that I realized I didn't have my hood on. I didn't waver, but I glanced around a second to make sure no one form school was around.

"I'd appreciate it," he stated "if you left me alone for a little while." He was trying not to misdirect his anger at me. "I'm so mad at myself I could throw up!"

"I would suggest you didn't." I watched him go, before finally getting the nerve to slowly pull my hood over my face once again.

_Why was I letting him get to me?_

"You're not going to watch the monk's attempt with the rest of us?" Ayako cooed as I walked into base. My hood was up (no shocker) but it physically moved forward with my ears in irritation.

"I'd rather swallow a large insect."

Hey, what's up Mai?" John asked as he walked up with some wires."Do you mind if I give you a hand?"

"Oh. I'm okay, I'm just taking a few things out," I responded.

"Then please, allow me to help you, I insist," John replied as he grabbed a microphone on the table.

"Go ahead. If you're offering, that is."

"You're still buying your boss's explanation?" Ayako asked from the doorway with Monk right beside her.

"Go walk off a cliff." I'm in no mood to deal with these idiots. "Better yet, walk off the top of the school. Make it an official haunting." I don't usually get this rude, but I'm in a pissy mood.

Ayako glared at me while the air got tense. "Easy now," John said, trying to calm us down.

Shortly after Monk started his exorcism… which seemed to consist of gibberish chanting 'ban' and 'kan' every other syllable, effectively boring me to pieces.

John and I had decided to also set a few things up around the schoolhouse, in case something significant happened at least we'll have proof.

"I just set the microphone up on the second floor," John said as he walked down the stairs.

"Thanks."

"I'm going to look around a bit, see if I can't find some more clues."

I waved a paw at him "I'm not your boss. Don't start reporting to me like I am."

Hi Kuroda," I said when I smelt her behind me a few moments after he left.

"Any news?" she asked me.

"Monk and the others are making their rounds right now," I answered.

"What about Kazuya?" she continued.

"I don't know where he is," I said with a shrug. "How do we even know there any ghosts here?" I asked, remembering all too well that most of this had her scent on it.

"Yes, I saw them," Kuroda said, still holding firm.

"As you've mentioned." I replied.

"They're not here anymore," Ayako said from behind us. We turned towards her and she continued, "The expulsion was a success."

"I'm getting a heavy sense of Deja-vu." Now was the worst time to be around me. Even I know I'm being horrible, but oh well.

Well, this time I'm sure of it," Ayako said, obviously taken back by my response.

"They're still here," Kuroda said, grabbing both my and Ayako's attentions. "I can feel them, in fact there are many spirits trapped here," she continued.

"Are you still pretending?" Ayako said snidely. "Give it a rest, we're the professionals here."

I snorted "I don't think _anyone_ here can have that title."

"Unless I'm mistaken you haven't done anything," Kuroda defended.

"We're good now," Monk said as he and John walked towards the rest of us. "Ayako's attempt may have been a complete failure but mine wasn't."

"Excuse me?" Ayako shouted.

"Well, it is true, isn't it?" Monk prodded.

"Don't take credit for my work!" she yelled.

"Same to you," was the response.

"Get over yourself!" she yelled again.

I couldn't hold myself in any longer "GET OVER YOURSELVES!"

"Shh," John said quietly. "I hear something."

We all quieted down and listened to footsteps on the floor above us.

"Someone's here," Ayako whispered as we stared at the ceiling.

"I know," Monk answered.

"Well, let's hope there friendly" I told them "I doubt any of us are ready if it's a burglar."

I'm always getting ignored, aren't I?

Monk ran towards the stairs as the footsteps grew closer and closer. I kept my distance, my tail bristling against my jeans.

"Do you want to die!?" I asked him, but noticed I couldn't smell anything.

He ignored me and disappeared around the stairwell as the stairs turned. Ayako stood near me as all of us waited for Monk to come back or to say something.

"Do you see anybody?" I yelled up at him.

"Nope, must've imagined it," Monk yelled back.

"The day I believe that is the day I'm normal-looking."

"It was just the wind," Ayako tried to sell us.

I started growling "I'm sick of listening to this! you say you're the professionals, ye the 'rookie' was better at their job then you! funny, the adults are dumber than the ki-" _BANG!_ I was interrupted from my ranting.

The banging noises from earlier started again. "It's back!" John exclaimed.

The lights broke, sending glass raining from the ceiling.

"This is the most activity we've seen yet!" John said as we dodged the glass.

"It sounds like there's more than one!" Monk shouted as we looked around the hallway, trying to find a source. My eyes fell on Kuroda once again, convinced she had something to do with this. "It's too dangerous in here, let's get outside!"

"I'm right behind you," I yelled, then turned towards Kuroda. "Come on Kuroda, follow me!" I yelled as we ran and dodged wood falling from the ceiling.

"Right!" she yelled back as we ran. I fell back onto four paws, my tail even managed t slip out of my jeans, I was so out of natural control of my human stance.

The shoe lockers started shaking and swaying dangerously as we ran past. We were almost out of the building when the shoe locker right next to me began to fall towards me. I stiffened, to scared to move.

_Warm._

"MAI!" I heard Monk yell.

I lost consciousness. Damn, my luck is horrible!

**Yes, I decided to write a chapter 2. Happy now? I figured that the others would kinda try not to think about the fact Mai was a dog, but it'll be talked about more in the next chapter.**

**Review!**


	3. evil spirits all over part 3

**_Ayako P.O.V (wow, I never thought I'd write this one)_**

It was a hard truth to grasp, yet all of us were staring it straight in the face.

Mai was definitely, one-hundred percent positively, no way are you wrong, a dog.

After seeing her get crushed by some shoe cabinets, we'd rushed her outside and I'd carefully taken her clothes off the see a dog. Tails, ears, scruff, stomach fur, the whole bit. Had I seen her like this before, I would have thought she was a were-wolf.

She has a tail for god's sake!

We're now watching her from the back of the van, as her chest rose and fall. Her ears and tail twitched here and there as she remained out cold. We'd already put her clothing back on.

Monk started the strangest conversation I will hopefully ever have "she's…. Really a dog?"

"Yeah…" I felt the guilt well up "and we dodged the subject the whole day. She must have really felt bad…"

"We'll have to apologize to her when she wakes up."

"Definitely."

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

Everything around me was dark.

I could feel a hand lay itself on my forehead, and opened my eyes. I could see lights, lots of lights, as well as a boy with a hand on my hand.

"Hiya." I said to the boy as he smiled at me.

"Hello," he said back as I closed my eyes again and laid my head down into my paws. I don't smell anything dangerous on him, so I have nothing to worry about.

I snapped my eyes open again. His voice sounded almost exactly like Naru's…

"You sound like Naru." I announced to him. Standing on all fours, my muzzle sniffing frantically to figure out the mystery of the Naru-look-alike.

"Go back to sleep," he said softly, ignoring me comment as he pushed me down gently.

I glared at him a moment "if we ever meet up again, you're telling me who you are." I've never really been one to question when I know I have to right to, and I'm pretty sure the middle of a sprit world is the worst place for me to start up.

I fell straight back to sleep.

**_Monday_**

**_Day 5_**

"Mai, wake up!" I heard Monk yell into my sensitive ears.

Ayako, Monk, and John were standing by me while I heard John say, "I think she's gonna be okay guys," to the other two. I was in the back of the van, and for some reason my sweatshirt was off.

"Hey Mai how do you feel?" Monk asked.

"Boy, we were really worried there for a minute," Ayako said before I speak.

"I'm obviously alive" I muttered, going to my sweatshirt. I crawl into it and eventually manage to get it back on with no usable thumbs.

"You were out for quite a while there, it's already four o'clock in the morning," Monk informed me.

"Did Naru ever come back?" I asked. _It would explain the Naru-look-alike._

"Nope," Monk answered me. _Damn, then how did the Naru-look-alike sound like Naru?_

I stood up from where I was sitting . "Where's Kuroda?" I asked, noting my classmate's absence, as well as the fact my tail was outside my jeans.

"She went home," Ayako told her. "…which, come to think of it, isn't entirely a bad idea. Exorcisms have had no effect. It's possible that even our own safety could be compromised."

"So you wanna run away?" I demanded.

"Need I remind you that it was your own boss who ran away first?!" Ayako shouted. "He probably went home and cried himself to sleep."

"I'm not sure Naru knows how to sleep." I muttered, brushing my paw over my ears- the only way I can scratch them- and glaring at her in systematic intervals.

"Well if I were to guess he ran away because of us, we did kinda gang up on him yesterday you know," Monk stated.

"Something tells me Naru was more afraid of me than he was of you." I snapped "and I don't think it's possible for someone to be afraid of me."

"Maybe Kazuya is at home, stewing with unbridled rage while making straw ethigy dolls of each of us," John said with a completely straight face.

I thought for a moment "I could see that…" I burst out laughing, which actually sounds like some messed of version of a weird bark.

Everyone jumped, then realized I was laughing, and joined in wholeheartedly.

After a few minutes of laughing, everyone finally stopped and gave each other a look before Ayako finally said "Mai… we're sorry."

I tilted my head, one of my ears falling to the side "for what?"

Monk continued "we we're scared of the fact you we're… different." He gestured to my head "we tried to ignore it, and it was wrong with us."

I shrug "no big. Besides, I don't mind if you don't talk about it. Hell, I don't even talk about it."

I pull my hood up, and walk away.

**_Later_**

"Morning!" I greeted Keiko and Michiru.

"Oh my gosh, Mai!" the two girls answered in unison.

"Are you okay?" asked Keiko.

"We heard something happened to you; fill us in on all the details!" Michiru added.

"Who told you that!?"

"Kuroda told us, she's been bragging to the whole class about it all morning," Keiko said while pointing to Kuroda, who was talking to a bunch of students around her.

"And you'll never guess what happened to us," Michiru commented.

"Kazuya just called us up out of nowhere! We talked for like, ten minutes!" Keiko said happily.

"Oh, so he didn't drop off the earth!" I exclaimed "and here I thought he'd died. When'd he call?"

"Last night," Michiru, obviously confused by my reaction.

"Yeah," Keiko confirmed.

"What'd you talk about?"

"Uh, you know, like this and that." Keiko spoke, trying to be mysterious. It wasn't working. "He asked us what we knew about the old schoolhouse and stuff."

"He asked us a lot of questions about Kuroda," Michiru added.

_Business call huh?_

As soon as I sat down, I hear this:

"Oh, there you are. Kuroda, Mai, you're wanted in the principal's office, a teacher said from the doorway.

We both walked down, neither of us willing to talk to the other.

"Yo? I called out as I opened the door.

There, inside the principal's office, stood Naru. He turned towards us as Kuroda and I stepped in. I looked around and realized everyone was there.

This was weird.

"Please take a seat," the principal said to us both.

"Okay, this makes up everyone who's been involved in a case thus far," Naru said as Kuroda and I sat down. "This should only take a few minutes," Naru told us before pulling the curtains together. Naru turned on some sort of weird machine. It gave off a high-pitched whir as it turned on. Everyone's attention seemed to be on the bulb, but, strangely, I didn't see what was so interesting. _What's with them? There's nothing big about it._

"I'd like everyone to focus on the light," Naru said, his voice changing to a gentle tone.

"Now control your breathing so it's in sync with the light," Naru continued, his voice now soft. Everyone started to get their breathing to be in sync so I got my breathing to be in sync with theirs, even though it wasn't doing anything to me. "Very slowly, relax your shoulders," he continued in his soft voice. I could tell everyone else was slowly relaxing their shoulders, but it really was doing to me whatever it was doing to the others

"Concentrate on your breathing," Naru said, his voice quiet, but I still wasn't following."Now start counting your breaths. Breathe deep. Nice," he continued again_._"Tonight the chair in the second floor of the old schoolhouse will move," Naru's voice rang clearly in my ears, yet everyone else seemed about to fall asleep. "Tomorrow, we'll all meet in the laboratory" _what is he doing!?_

_Why isn't this affecting me?_

He turned it off, and everyone looked like they'd been jarred from a haze.

"That's all I need. Thank you for your cooperation," Naru said as he clutched the curtain.

'I'm sleepy," Monk complained as he stood up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get the nagging feeling to sleep to go away.

Ayako stood up holding her head while adding, "So am I," to the conversation. Masako then stood up herself while rubbing at her eyes while the rest of them sat there in similar positions.

But nothing happened to me. Why?

Is it because I'm a dog? Maybe… but I didn't dream something strange when I took a nap later on in class.

The same chair he was talking about.

**_Moments later_**

"HEY NARU!" I yelled after him, trying not to swing my arms and instead keep them in my pockets.

Naru turned his head slightly towards me to indicate he heard. I slowed down as I got right behind him, walking in pace with him. "Where did you go yesterday?"

"Nowhere special," he said simply before turning his head to look in front of him again. "I heard you got injured."

"I'm breathing" I told him. "Why was everyone acting so strange with the light you had? It didn't seem to do anything to me, but everyone else seemed to be sleepy."

"Shouldn't you be heading back to class now?" he ignored my question. My guess is that he didn't have an answer.

"I already plan on flunking out, so what's the rush? I can't exactly go to a live in collage with how I look, since they're even stricter about dress codes than this place."

He turned his head towards me like before and said, "So you're skipping class because you _want _to be stupid?"

"Funny. Did you come here last night?"

"To… the school? Uh-uh, why?" Naru answered.

"No real reason." if he was going to be vague, so was I "I was curious to see where you went when you dropped off the planet."

I quickly walked the opposite direction, not even bothering to excuse myself.

_Well, that would explain why he didn't smell like Naru, but not why he looks like him._

**_Later_**

Later, after school, I walked over to the van again to see if Naru was there. I really hope this is all over soon, I'm sooo sick of hanging around these bastards.

_Does he live in this thing!?_

"Were you the one who set up the microphone on the second floor last night?" Naru asked me, not bothered by the fact my hood was up like the others would be.

I crossed my arms "you may have fallen off the planet, but your equipment didn't."

"Well, you did an excellent job, Mai. We picked up some very interesting noises," he turned his head back to the laptop screen. "What's up?"

"The shoe rack that fell on me was warm."

"I'm impressed you remember that," Naru commented.

"So am I. I figured I'd forget after it slammed into my head." _this… is almost a friendly conversation… no, get your head in the game Mai! They don't want to talk to you, they want their paychecks._

"Good'ay Mai," John greeted from behind me. He looked totally wiped, so I doubt he slept much the past few days.

_Can't blame him there._

"yo." _God, I just realized, I sound like monk!_

Naru looked over at the new arrival and took the headphones off. "Now, let's get started,"

_Here we go again…_

**_Later_**

"I give up. Naru, what the hell are we doing?" my hood was down and my sleeves rolled up from the heat, but thankfully no one mentioned anything as we nailed up boards. More like John nailed while I tried my hardest to hold the boards.

"This," Naru indicated to the thing he was setting up "is a radar."

"I thought those were for airplanes? How'd you scrounge one up?" I questioned.

"If I told you it wouldn't work," Naru answered.

"And yet I still work for you?"

"Yes," Naru said and held out a hammer towards me. "So take some of that plywood over there and start boarding up all the windows and doors in that room."

I frowned "Do it yourself. Paws can't hold hammers." I let John take that task.

Soon we finished the work –more like John finished slaving away while I felt bad for the guy- and I asked Naru "what now?"

"Both of you, take this, and sign your names on the board." He handed us a black marker.

I sighed, once again held up my paws, and said "john, I'm going to need your help."

After watching John sign boards for what felt like eternity, I finally asked Naru "are we done now?"

"Now, write your names on this paper. After you're done, you can go home," Naru said after he taped a piece of paper over the two pieces of plywood that covered the door.

My ears fell in frustration as I groaned "there better be a good damned reason for this. Mind telling me what we're doing?"

"You'll find out tomorrow," was he said as he walked away.

I growled "I'm seriously getting sick of you." I sighed, pulled my hood up, shoving my hands in my pockets, and stalked off towards the slums of Shibuya, where I happen to live.

**_Tuesday_**

**_Day 6_**

I stalk towards the van, trying to figure out why something smelled off, when I see a guy on crutches.

_Oh, shit. That's his real assistant. I'm going to be a fur rug in 5, 4,3,2,1._

Naru then stood up, seeming to either hear my footsteps while his assistant looked over his shoulder.

"What are you doing here so early?" Naru asked.

"I just love being in your wonderful company." I snorted. I'd rather not admit to the fact that I usually woke up around this time anyway. There wasn't any reason for him to know that.

"You'll have to wait a bit more, everyone will be here soon," Naru told me.

"You're dragging everyone here? Why, are you scheduling you're arguments now?"

His assistant obviously wasn't liking my sense of humor, so it's a good thing he doesn't know me. My hood is down, but he wasn't surprised, so I'm guessing Naru filled him in on the fact his replacement was a dog.

No answer. _Great, hang me out to dry. When I'm talking to you, I don't have to look at the assistant dude._

I finally turned to the assistant "well, you're breathing, that's a good sign. I'm guessing you're feeling better?" I prepared myself to get smacked, more than prepared to kick his crutches out from underneath him to get away.

He glared at me, and I gulped. _I'm going to be skinned alive, I can just tell._

A little while later everyone was gathered in front of the room John and I boarded up yesterday. Lin held a small camera in his right hand. I stood of to the side. _Soon, this will be all over with, and then I won't have to deal with these people anymore… why does that make me sad?_

"So what's the plan for today, Naru?" Monk asked from beside Ayako. _we're going to bash each other's heads in for fun. Good god, why are you people this stupid when you're supposed to be the professionals._

"Yes," Ayako continued "let's hope for your sake you don't embarrass yourself yet again."

Naru ignored her and turned towards John and me. "Now, would you two please confirm that the paper you signed yesterday hasn't been tampered with," Naru told us.

"I didn't sign anything." I reminded him, wondering why I wasn't ripping his head off with sarcasm like I would anyone else. "Does it look right John?"

"Fine."

"Alright," Naru said as he picked up a crowbar and fisted it into both hands. Lin put his camera down to his side to watch him do this; I guess he knew what was going on. I for one was surprised it was him doing it and not Monk.

Naru stuck the crowbar into the small space between the boards in front of the door before swinging the bar back, pulling the panel clear off the wall. I couldn't help but briefly admire his strength, since I knew that if I even tried clawing at the doors I end up with bloody paws.

He was, apparently, even stronger than I gave him credit for. Apparently the same was for John, because he backed away too, only where he was staring at the wall, Masako looked as if she was calculating the situation, waiting patiently, Monk looked on in silent surprise, his jaw tight, and Ayako had a blank look on her face, something not very surprising considering her apparent lack of brain cells.

The entrance was now opened, but Naru just stood there, so we stepped in, I going in cautiously on four paws, not caring that I might be getting stared at.

Everyone gasped, and I could be heard muttering "the hell?"

John, a second later gasped "Oh my Lord The chair, it's moved!" _I think we've realized that, but thank you for the input._ The chair had moved out of the chalk circle. I sniffed the chair confusedly, no smell.

"Indeed it has," Naru said as we walked into the room. _Hello, Mr. modesty. I get the feeling you knew this would happen._

So what exactly does this prove?" Ayako stated as she put her hand up to chin, her other hand naturally cupping onto her elbow. I couldn't help but wonder if she thought it would help move what little brain cells she had into making a conclusion.

"Would you care to explain?" Monk voiced out as well. _Tag-team, no fair!_

Naru didn't answer for a moment "I'd like to thank you all for your cooperation. I'll be finishing this investigation today."

"Let me get this straight, are you claiming to have solved the case again?" Ayako demanded.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Naru responded.

"'the ground is sinking'? Still using that one?" I lifted myself to two-paws so I could look at his face without craning my head up.

"Yes, all of the issues that the principal originally brought to my attention can be explained by ground subsidence," Naru explained.

"Yeah? Then what about the disturbances we saw the day before yesterday?" Monk glared. _Why are you glaring? So what if you're not going to get the money, I thought monks didn't need money._

"Now those _were_ from a poltergeist," Naru answered.

"You're not making any sense!" he shouted.

I couldn't help but grumble "if you listened, maybe he'd actually explain."

"What else can he do?" Ayako interrupted Monk's questioning. "We all know he can't exorcise it," she shifted her eyes over to Naru, "right?" _says the one who hasn't done shit._

"There's no need for exorcisms in this circumstance," Naru told her "Watch this, and you'll see."

Everyone looked over at the monitor. I could see a dark green square and a chair in the middle of a chalk circle.

I then heard rattling over the speakers. Everyone except me collectively gasped. The chair leg started moving. Everyone else was surprised that it was moving by itself, and that it wasn't just sliding against the ground. It was moving UP and DOWN in the air.

The chair continued to rattle before moving back against the far wall, then moving as if being lifted and then dropped on its side.

I couldn't help myself. I whistled "I gotta figure out how to do that. Mind explaining what the hell that was?"

"Well it's obviously a poltergeist," Monk answered me, not even looking at me or seeming to register my earlier comment.

"Humans are to blame for over half of reported poltergeists every year," Naru stated.

"So... someone lost a bet and got stuck doing this?" wouldn't be the craziest thing I've ever heard. If someone did that themselves, then that person would make a good special-effects person for movies. "Then again, John did board the place up pretty good. They'd have to be circus material to get in."

"True, we did seal off every entrance," Naru explained, I interrupted.

"You mean John did." He ignored me, unsurprisingly, and continued.

"I even had John sign his and Mai's names on each panel so we could tell if someone had tampered with one."

"If someone had attempted to replace any broken pieces, there's little chance they could've replicated my signature," John inputted. _They could if they traced it onto another piece of paper._

"This only proves that I've been right all along!" Kuroda pointed out.

"I placed a hypnotic suggestion in everyone's mind yesterday that this chair would move before we met here this evening," Naru told her.

"That lamp thing in the office?" I bit my lip, not about to get into an argument since it did nothing to me.

"So far this method has never failed me," Naru continued, "And I have no reason to believe that it will today."

"Alright, I get it. But how did they get in?"

"Poltergeists are a form of latent mental powers often by people who have an unconscious craving for attention. When stress is introduced a self-defense type mechanism reacts in the brain. Hypnotic suggestions can become a reality in these types of situations," Naru explained.

_Craving attention?_ I automatically glanced at Kuroda. _That explains why she locked Ayako in a room and deleted the monitor footage._

"So you're saying… that I'm responsible for this?" Kuroda said as she took a few steps back away from us, her voice wavered. I walked over to her and put a paw on her arm, not threatingly, more comfortingly.

I understand why.

I know exactly what the girl was going through. I can't tell you how much shit I've been through over the years unless you had a few hour spare time for a huge pity party. But I understood nonetheless. After all, I've been kicked out of my family, and been stuck wearing a huge hood to a school full of girls who love showing skin. It's not surprising they'd nail me for it.

Naru brought our attention back to him. "From the moment I met you I knew you were trying to impress me," he said, walking a few steps closer. "For example you claimed to have seen spirits that still remained here from the war. However, there is no evidence of this area being bombed during the war, or of this building being used as a hospital. In fact, there was never a hospital built on this land, period. That means you were either mistaken, or intentionally lying to me and the others."

"I'm not a liar," Kuroda defended.

"At first I thought you were just pretending to be spiritually sensitive, so when things started happening that could only be explained as a poltergeist, I became quite perplexed," Naru continued, shifting his eyes to Masako. "My scientific experiments and Ms. Hara's psychic readings both came up clean-we determined there were no spirits." He looked back at Kuroda. "That means the haunting was of human origin." Kuroda wouldn't meet his gaze, and was clenching her fists as she glared at the ground. But she still hadn't pushed my paw away. "Poltergeist activity is often caused by children in their early teens. There are numerous cases involving teenaged girls in particular. It's a form of psychokinesis that can occur in periods of great stress."

"Ever since middle school you were known amongst your peers for being sensitive to spirits. But once it was proven by me that the strange phenomenon happening here was in fact due to ground subsidence, you naturally lost whatever confidence or faith you held in your own psychic abilities. This caused you immense anxiety because it went against your own beliefs, and although you could see the merits of my evidence, you still wanted to believe the spirits were to blame. You told yourself there was no other way. You simply couldn't face the truth," Naru finished.

Then, Kuroda broke down and started crying, holding her hands to her face. I never moved my paw, but felt more than a little awkward. I'm good at making people cry, not comforting them_. I have no clue what I'm supposed to do_.

"You had no idea you did it, wow…" Monk marveled, it took all my will not to slap the ass. _Some sympathy please!? God damn, these people are worse than Naru._

"I firmly believe that you're a latent psychic, Kuroda," Naru said to her.

"Please explain to the newbie in the room." I raised my other paw, not minding that I was knocking myself. I may be cursed, but I sure as hell don't know my way around the ghost hunting world. Naru would be the huge badass wolf and I'd be a bumbling kitten trying not to die. I have no ground against him on this type of thing. It's better to ask now then to be forever confused since I wasn't going to see him much longer.

"A latent psychic is someone who has supernatural abilities. She's not aware of it, but she has some level of PK," Naru explained. Kuroda lifted her hands away from her face, looking slightly confused. "I'll say this for your sake Mai.'PK' is short for psychokinesis."

"Thank you for allowing me a glimpse into your grand well of knowledge." I rolled my eyes, and realized my paw was still on Kuroda's arm. I quickly dropped it, feeling embarrassed as hell.

"She believed that there had to be spirits present in the old schoolhouse in order to attract the attention of those around her. In order to be who she was," Naru told me.

"You know, I think I can understand. It's natural really. Think about it, everyone wants to believe they're special in some way, a desire to stand out from the crowd and be unique as a person. It could be a talent, or just the hope that you're recognized as an honest and kind human being. In your case, Kuroda, I would imagine that it's your ability to communicate with spirits." Now here came the awkward part, the seriously awkward part.

"Um… look…" I started rubbing my neck with my paw, my ears down in earnest "I'm free this weekend… so, if you uh, I don't know… wanted to have a pity party, or maybe go on some kind of movie spree with someone, well, I'm, uh… free?" never before in my life had I been more thankful for my fur to hide my blush. I stink at asking things like this.

Suddenly, something wraps around my waist. I look up, and find Kuroda hugging me tightly. I awkwardly patted my paws onto her back, the closest thing I could do to a pat on the back.

"I'd love to."

I glanced up at Naru, silently asking him. _Start talking. Now. This is embarrassing enough as it is, start talking._

"Does that explanation satisfy everyone?" Naru asked.

"Not quite," Ayako said, stepping forward from our little group. "According to that account her elevated stress levels came after you gave us your little theory on ground subsidence, or whatever it was," Ayako pointed out, then stomped her foot. "What about me getting stuck in that room, or the video being erased, explain that!" Kuroda tensed.

"The reason you became trapped in that room is simple. There was a nail sticking out from the floor," Naru said as he pulled out a nail.

"That's it?" Ayako looked bug-eyed at the nail.

"I had noticed it that day but I never mentioned it because I didn't feel it was necessary at the time," Naru explained, then gave me a pointed glance "it wouldn't surprise me if Mai could smell it as well."

Kuroda, who'd long let go of me, looked at me questioningly. I gave another awkward grin.

"Then, someone did that on purpose?" Ayako looked over to Kuroda. "Was it you?!"

"No, it was her twin sister from mars." I don't know how I managed to say that with a straight face.

"You were just trying to get back a little at Ms. Matsuzaki. After all, she had verbally attacked you outside just moments before," Naru answered for her.

"What about the video?" Ayako asked, even though I'm pretty sure everyone already knew the answer.

"The video tape was intentionally erased," Naru faced towards Ayako, "When you became trapped, we all left the base to come to your aid. There was plenty of time for someone to sneak in and erase the tape without ever being seen."

"This is ridiculous," Ayako glared at Kuroda, then me, probably guessing I knew that as well.

"What are we supposed to do now? The principal hired all of us to get this place ready so they can continue construction," Monk spoke up.

"Lie." I gained a swat on the head form Kuroda, who was obviously sick of lying. Naru came up with the better solution.

"I plan to report the following story to the principal. The old schoolhouse was haunted by those who died here during the war. They've all been exorcised and the structure is now clean of any paranormal activity." Naru then faced Kuroda. "That sound okay, Kuroda?" she nodded.

"That's very kind of you Naru, but will you really lie to the principal? He deserves to know the real story," Masako commented for the first time. _Basically, you don't like Kuroda and want her to get expelled._

"Kuroda's doing an excellent job suppressing her feelings now. I don't think it's necessary to embarrass her any further," Naru answered.

"Well whattdya know." I glanced humourly at my now ex-boss "you actually have a heart in there. I'd never guess."

"Oh, I had no idea you were so sensitive. Do you have a girlfriend?" Ayako asked, leaning against his arm. I gagged heavily and tucked my hood over my face to keep my chuckles at bay. _Desperate for money much?_

"I'm not sure I fully understand your question," Naru told her, but something told me he knew where this conversation was going.

"I'm saying I wouldn't mind getting to know you better, even though you are quite young," Ayako answered him.

"Hypocrite" I coughed, effectively copying the technique she used on Monk days before.

Naru seemed to understand now. He didn't look too terribly excited. "Although I do appreciate the offer. I must decline." he smirked. "I'm too used to looking at myself in the mirror."

Everyone, minus Lin, effectively fell into laughing fits.

"Let's get serious and decide who's going to take credit for this job," Ayako yelled, obviously pissed.

"Everyone contributed equally. Are we all okay with that?" Naru said.

"Then Mai…" Naru said, looking at me.

"I know, I know."

"Lin, let's start breaking camp," he looked over to his actual assistant.

Lin just nodded, "Right."

**_Later_**

Outside, Ayako yawned and said, "That wasn't such a big deal after all," as she walked away with Monk.

"Admit it, you were scared in there, weren't you," I could hear Monk retort.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Ayako deadpanned. I could faintly hear Monk's laughter as they got farther away.

"Shouldn't you be heading to class?" naru asked, taking the tripod away from me.

"Might as well help. I've got nothing better to do." I shrug.

"I can handle it," Naru said as he turned towards the van. "Why don't you head back to class. I'd hate to see you plummet even further into the depths of dumb,"

"I've already hit rock bottom!" I called back as I started to walk away.

**_Later_**

During lunch break, the main topics were the schoolhouse, the ghost rumors, and Kuroda. I was sitting in the way back of the room, hood up, hands in pockets, listening to them praise Kuroda.

"That's amazing, Kuroda! So the stories about the ghosts were true after all!" one girl talking to Kuroda said.

"I can't believe it collapsed," another girl commented.

_People will believe __anything._

"Cheer up Mai, we're the ones who should be sighing," Keiko said.

"Yeah, what the heck Mai? Kazuya's gone forever and you didn't think to ask for his address? We couldn't even find his phone number in the book," Michiru complained.

I snorted "you should be thankful I didn't." before they could retort, and announcement came over the P.O. system.

"Attention Mai Taniyama, you have a telephone call. Please report to the front office immediately,"

I went down to the office and picked up the phone line, covering my hands with my sweatshirt. "Someone rang?"

"Hello Mai," Naru answered.

"Oh hey. Why the hell are you calling me?"

"Your fee," he answered.

"What?"

"Your money for the hours you worked as my assistant. If you don't want it I could always give it to charity."

"Cool. Send it to the orphans." I told him, unworried.

'I'll send the check out today so you should have it soon," Naru seemed to take my joking as an answer for some odd reason. "And I was curious if your school would allow you to have a job. If you're interested, I have a position open for you. It's just office work but it would be good experience for you."

"What are you planning?"

"Is that a yes or a no?" he wasn't about to give me any answers it seems.

"Fine. I could use some extra cash as it is."

"Then come on down to my office to fill out some paperwork. It's in Shibuya, off Dogenzaka. And thanks for all your help, you were an excellent assistant. I'll be seeing you soon."

_And that's when I finally gave in and let the devil have his way with me as I entered the crazy world of ghost hunting._

**Ta-da! Review! No flames though, I don't use them. DISCLAIMER i own NOTHING, obviously.**


	4. the doll house part 1

**DISCLAIMER I own NOTHING. I figured I'd continued this for a while, maybe this is my last chapter, I'm not sure either way. Mai's going to be less sarcastic for two different reason.**

**1- There's going to be a kid and she won't want to influence her.**

**2- She's going to start becoming nicer to people she knows well enough.**

**_July_**

**_Day 1_**

"Cool house." I told Naru as we stood at the gate of our client's house. Which, compared to mine, was a place, considering I live in a dump that's falling apart. The roof is almost gone. When it rains, the druggies and muggers stay away from my house, because they know there's no protection.

Naru simply gazed at the house and walked up to the door, I following behind. We were met at the door by the woman who came in to the office, our client.

Going inside the house, I couldn't help but wish I could go take off all my clothes and live here as the family pet. I'd gladly get rid of my dignity and any future of employment so I could lie on the floor next to a couch with the people that lived here curled up with me.

Yes, I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm so pathetic living like a dog sounds like fun. I've been put in a pound before, but I've never lived in a house as a dog. Might be fun, I wouldn't know, not the way my luck rolls. Naru and his goon, Lin, would hunt me down and drag me back to work.

I'm not about to test fate, so I'm keeping my head in my hood and my paws in my pockets.

"I'm sorry to drag you out here like this, it's quite a drive from the city," she started introducing everyone "This is my sister-in-law Kana, and my niece, Ayumi," she indicated first to a woman with short hair and a little girl holding a doll… that didn't have a scent.

Furrowing my brows, I inconspicuously sniffed the air. _Still nothing. Strange._

"My brother's on a business trip overseas at the moment, so it's just us three girls it the house all by ourselves." She finished.

"_There's something strange about that house. The furniture will rattle all by itself, I'll hear knocking on the walls of rooms when I'm the only one home, and doors will constantly open and close all by themselves…"_

"As you can imagine we're pretty frightened," Noriko told Naru.

"I'd like to have a word with your boss," Kana demaned.

Naru stepped forward and told the annoying women "My name is Kazuya Shibuya, and I own the company."

"Oh, I, uh…." Kana was stunned. _Why am I not surprised?_

"So anyway," Kana recovered "what are we looking at? Do you really believe we have a ghost?"

"We will explore all options in our investigation," Naru told her. _Translation= I have no clue, but I'll act like I know what I'm doing._

"How's set-up of all the equipment looking?" Naru asked Lin. _Well, nothing has exploded, so we have to be doing alright. _

"All audio and video feeds are transmitting clearly," Lin reported. He continued reporting, but I, not being an individual who's not very tech savvy, didn't understand a word coming out of his mouth. It was like he was speaking another language.

"So..." I started to Lin "is this a poltergeist you think? Maybe something like Kuroda?"

I admit it, trying to get an answer out of him wasn't going to happen. I may not be a genius, but I do have a small amount of brain in my skull, enough to know he was ignoring me. Even after his ankle had healed, he seemed to hate me.

"Ah, you're sounding less like an amateur each day, aren't you kiddo?" I heard from behind me. Monk and ayako, the registered old couple, were at the door.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." My tail flicked in my jeans in greeting, but I doubt they noticed.

He saluted "Hey."

"I see you're overdoing it again with all this fancy equipment."

"Let me see," Ayako bustled her way through to the monitors. After looking for less than a second she said, "Clearly the work of an earth spirit."

I sighed "here we go again. How do you know it's not human? It fits from what I've seen, then again, I'm no _professional_." I sneered the ending, reminding her of how many times she'd called herself that yet I still wasn't sure she was.

"We'll listen to you," Ayako answered, probably pleased I hadn't verbally ripped her to shreds yet. They seemed to realize the less I spit insults, the more I like someone.

"Well, think about it. This case in particular may have to do with the woman of the house not getting along with her sister-in-law."

"Like Noriko?" Monk questioned.

"I'd buy it. That Kana woman does seem to be a bit unpleasant," Ayako spoke thoughtfully. I snorted.

"A bit? I've talked to rabid animals with better attitudes."

"It's amateurish at best," Naru interrupted "In cases where a human is to blame for a poltergeist the culprit is usually a teenager or an adolescent child. Noriko is already in her twenties, so she doesn't meet the age requirement."

"I wasn't aware of tha-" I tried to tell him, but he plowed on.

"Now it is true that there are cases of women who are sensitive to the paranormal, so I'll consider that in my final decision," Naru finished.

I sighed "hey, don't forget I'm the newbie. I'm lucky to know what I do know. You're the boss for a reason."

I walked around the house, more or less bored, but trying not to impose on the idiots of S.P.R, who've told me multiple times they don't appreciate my sarcasm.

"Hi there Mai," Noriko greeted, about to go up the stairs with a try in her hands. "Perfect timing. I'm taking some lunch to Ayumi. Would you care to join me?"

"If I won't get in the way." I muttered, looking away. I love kids, it's a dog thing. You'll never meet a dog out there that hasn't at one point or another wanted to curl up with a kid as they played.

We started up the stairs. "ayumi doesn't really look like Kana. Does she take after her dad?"

"Well that's because Kana isn't Ayumi's birth mother," Noriko explained. "My brother had her with his previous wife." _Oh shit, I went too far._

"Ah, I see. Sorry, I went to personal." I muttered honestly. I respect my elders, or else I'd question further.

"Don't worry about it," Noriko told me, not looking miffed.

We reached Ayumi's door and knocked before entering.

"Ayumi, lunch time," Noriko declared as she stepped in. "Mai's here too."

I came into her view "hope you're hungry." I thought about seeing if she'd laugh if I told her I'd eat it if she didn't, but something told me her sense of humor wasn't like that, so I kept my muzzle shut.

Ayumi picked the doll up she was playing with and walked over to us.

She held out the doll's arm and said, "Nice to meet you,"

"And who's you pal?" _if she says something like 'barbie' I may just fall over laughing._

"Minnie," 'Minnie' answered. _Well, it's better than Barbie._

"Ayumi, your new book. Are you enjoying it?" Noriko asked.

Ayumi was smiling up at her, but then suddenly looked a little like she forgot something.

"What's wrong?" Noriko asked. The sudden shift didn't go unnoticed by Noriko either. Ayumi stepped back, obviously scared.

"You hungry?" I asked her.

"I'm… not hungry," Ayumi answered.

_What's wrong with her?_

**_Later_**

Later on that night, we gathered Kana, Noriko, Ayumi, and Minnie (which for some reason I'd decided to look at as a person, not an inanimate object) together. I sat with them, mostly because it didn't affect me, and to reassure them it was safe enough for a worker to use.

"Focus your eyes on the light," Naru commanded softly as a lamp whirred. _Ah, the crazy lamp thing I still don't know the name of. The one test that doesn't affect me in the slightest._

"Try to match your breathing to the glow of the light," Naru commanded again. "Nice and slow."

"Tonight, the vase will move, a small glass vase to be exact. It will be sitting on the table in front of you now."

I flipped the light switch to on. All three of the females snapped out of the trance.

"That'll be all," Naru dismissed "please try to spend the rest of your evening as you would any normal night. Kana, the key?"

"Oh, right," Kana answered as she sat up to give it to him. Her eyes snapped to the object in his hands.

A small glass vase. Something told me tonight would be interesting.

I watched as Naru drew a chalk circle around the vase after it was only me and Naru in the room.

_So basically, if this smashes into my face, it's a human who did this. If it stays there, than we're in deep shit?_

_Goody._

**_Day 1_**

_**9:00**_

We were watching the monitors. Ayako and Monk were sitting by the door, supposedly 'ready for action' in case something happened and were right near the door, basically so they wouldn't get stuck next to me when I'm cranky. They knew that getting near me when I haven't slept would get them dog shaped bite marks in their arms.

"Any movement?" Naru asked Lin_. If there had been, someone would have screamed, you dumbass._

"Not yet," Lin responded. _Exactly my point._

Suddenly the door opened loudly, like loudly enough to make normal humans wince and make my ears bleed. Kana stood there, panting, Offering no explanation, Kana ordered "Come quickly." _Sir, yes sir! Whoops, I mean ma'm._

We all ran up the stairs behind Kana up to Ayumi's room. Why we actually followed her when she was being so rude, I have no clue. It was just an instinct.

Kana shoved the door open.

"I came up here to put Ayumi to bed when I found all the furniture like this," Kana told us. _You actually tried to put her to bed? I'm surprised._

"Was there a one room hurricane I missed?" Everything had been moved away, even the carpet, it was at a bit of a tilt now, as if the furniture just all moved to the side and slightly inward, but the walls had stayed in place.

"What's going on? I thought you people were supposed to stop things like this from happening," Kana yelled.

"Are you sure the little girl didn't do this?" Ayako asked. _Is that even possible?_

"Are you nuts? You couldn't move this shi-" I quickly remembered Ayumi was in the room "crap, let alone Ayumi."

"You're right," Monk said. "The rug was moved as well. Even I don't have that kind of strength." _Maybe a muscle man from a circus, but no one else could._

"I agree," said Naru. "If there's a human capable of this, I'd love to meet him." _That was almost a compliment. To who? I have no clue._

I was merely throwing the option out there," Ayako defended.

"Dumbest option I ever heard." I muttered, wanting to cross my paws, but not being able to with others in the room.

"It wasn't Ayumi," the little girl said, holding onto Noriko's hand for dear life like we were going to strike her.

"None of us thought it was." I told her. Suddenly, a scream from downstairs reached our ears.

Noriko.

_What the hell are we getting ourselves into?_

Running downstairs I noted that everything had been flipped upside-down.

"The carpets upside–down." I told everyone "can I human even do that?"

"Classic poltergeist activity," Monk announced, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. _Isn't that what I said earlier?_

"It's a simple earth spirit, I'll have it driven out of the house by tomorrow morning. You'll see," Ayako said before turning and walking away. "Good night everyone." _Once again, the snob in her comes to light._

"Here we go again." I called after her "hey! If you actually do something useful, take a video!" no answer, I doubt she even listened.

"What's up Naru?" Monk asked Naru, whom was looking at the room. "You look like you're on to something. Care to share with the rest of us?"

Naru turned towards us "Don't you think this response is a little quick? Paranormal phenomenon tend to have an aversion to outsiders. Usually any signs of a haunting back off in the first twenty four hours of an investigation."

I nodded "yet another thing to add to my list of things I need to learn."

"If you ever watch those TV shows that cover famous haunted houses, usually nothing substantial ever happens on camera, right? Normally the spirits will shy away from the visitor initially, but that's not the case here. I think this is full-on hatred," Monk explained to the obviously clueless me.

"You thinking the same thing I am?" Naru asked Monk.

Monk nodded and responded, "Yeah. The house is aware of our presence, and it's quickly becoming angry with us, so if you coupled that with these increasingly brazen attempts to scare us off, we're dealing with a poltergeist that means business."

"We may have a hard time with this one," Naru's expression turned dark.

"_Goody_." I muttered sarcastically.

**Naru declared that Ayumi's bedroom and the living room are now off-limits to everyone until the completion of the investigation. Ayumi was to stay in Noriko's room from here on out.**

**_Day 2_**

the audio of Ayako's exorcism came over the speakers, boring me to death. I went over to Naru to look at the monitors.

"Well that should do it," I could hear over the audio as Ayako stepped out of the room. "Sometimes I amaze even myself, haha!"

Gag me.

**_Day 2_**

**_Night_**

"Naru, here's the temperature rundown for every room in the house," I gave Naru the clipboard. "Monk helped me write it down."

"Ayumi's room is few degrees cooler than the rest," Naru noticed then turned to type the data in.

**Naru taught me that whenever a spirit is present the temperature drops. **

"The house itself looks to be structurally sound, all the floors are flat, there's no sign of subterranean water lose, so the ground is solid," Naru told me. _Why am I not surprised the first thing you look for is the house falling apart?_

"So it's a ghost."

"The chances of that are increasing," Naru answered.

"Lovely." I glared at him "you better know what the hell you're doing. I don't want to end up a fur rug."

Our conversation was cut short by a scream, this time belonging to Kana. We ran to the kitchen, where a fire was spouting.

"Kana!" I yelled, pulling her back a bit away from the heat. I may not like this women, but I'm not about to get in trouble for letting her burn her face off like a moron.

"The flames just started shooting out of nowhere!" Kana told me.

"Just get back!" Naru ordered us, putting his arm in front of us to physically move us back. "Takigawa!" he yelled for Monk.

Monk grabbed a fire extinguisher, spraying down the fire.

A little while later, the fire was out, and I felt exhausted. Everyone was tired from the excitement as well, and Kana was no longer crying. _Thank the powers that be._

I ended up looking over towards the window near the stove, where the fire had come from. I saw someone or something looking in, and then disappear. Just… vanish.

"Holy hell!" I shrieked, yes shrieked. Even I have moments "Naru, someone's out there!"

Naru looked through the window "Are you sure?" he questioned.

"Yes I'm sure" holding back a sarcastic remark, as well as my cursing "I'm dumb, not blind. It was this little kid…"

I didn't give a damn that I looked horrible under my hood. Everyone looked ten years older.

Tonight's going to be long and annoying.

**_Later_**

"Okay, Minnie, time for me to tuck you in," I could hear Ayumi say.

Naru, Monk, and I quietly peered through the slightly cracked door. For once Naru was pulling his own weight, but I sadly didn't have the time or energy to bask in it.

Ayumi was pulling a handkerchief over Minnie like a blanket when Noriko hit the lights.

_I remember doing that when I small enough to play with dolls. But then my cousin thought it was funny to melt all the stinking things. Then the curse hit and I never thought about it again._

"Sweetie?" Noriko said before walking to Ayumi, who stood up when Noriko approached her. Noriko put her hands on Ayumi's shoulders. "Ayumi? Were you just outside?"

"No," Ayumi responded, looking slightly confused.

"Mai saw someone looking through the kitchen window," Noriko told her. _Not her, another kid. Get your facts straight._

"I wasn't," Ayumi answered.

"Are you telling the truth?" Noriko shook the girl slightly. Ayumi took a few steps away from Noriko.

"I am," Ayumi said with a scared voice. "Ayumi didn't do it!" A loud knock was heard from the ceiling. The room started shaking.

Great. She pissed whatever it is off.

"The heck!?" I asked Naru. At least I was able to not cuss. I'm getting better at least.

"Ayumi didn't do it," Ayumi shouted before another knock was heard, moving the bookcase. "Stop it!" The bookcase started fall over, right where Noriko was kneeling.

"Shit!" I cursed, racing foreword to pull another push like I did with john in the schoolhouse, but Naru grabbed my wrist before I could even get close.

"I agree!" I called down the hall to her. "Aunt Nori!" Ayumi cried.

"Let me go!" I roared at Naru, my eyes ablaze. He didn't move.

Noriko turned around just in time to see the bookcase crash down on her.

**_Day 3_**

"So what's that, two huge failures in a row?" Monk asked Ayako, who was still in her priestess clothing. It had just turned midnight.

"I guess I'm just a useless waste of space, then," Ayako huffed, walking out of base.

"Alright Naru, can you explain what happened yesterday?" I asked Naru.

"It seemed to react to the little girl's shouting," Monk pointed out. "And it could be tied to the image of the child you mentioned seeing in the kitchen."

"I believe that Ayumi is behind this," Naru stated.

_Alright, it's official. Our boss, Kazuya Shibuya, has finally fallen off the brink of sanity and made a u-turn into stupidity instead of insanity._

"I thought the suggestion experiment you conducted proved the culprit wasn't human. How much confidence do you put in that test of yours?" Monk questioned.

"One hundred percent," Naru told him.

"Is it possible the suggestion failed?" Monk asked.

"There's no way."

"Make up your frickin mind." I snapped at him. I was already getting sick of all of this, and its only day three of who knows how many.

"You know you've been wrong before," Monk glared. _Nice one. Knock him down a few pegs._

"Kazuya," Lin interrupted. "The temperature in Ayumi's room is dropping again." _Please, whoever's doing this, don't drop another bookshelf. Although, if you have to, make sure it lands on me._

"Lin, more sound!" Naru ordered.

Lin put the sound up, and we could clearly hear rattling.

"That is intense," Monk commented. _Yeah, it's a bag full of fun._

"No one's there." I announced, saying what was on everyone's minds.

"Incredible," I heard Naru breathe.

"No" I told him "what'd be incredible is if a blizzard started blowing in there." I was ignored, but oh well, I'm used to it.

"The temperature," Naru muttered, more to himself than me."It's dropping unbelievably fast.

"So Ayumi has ice powers." I deadpanned, more than ready to burst out in laughter if he agreed, no matter the circumstances were.

"It's not Ayumi, that's for sure. No, no human could pull this off," Naru stated.

_The ghost just pulled a teenager. 'It's not her, she couldn't do that. It was allll me.' She had to prove her elders wrong._

_Wait, elders? Where'd I get that one?_

**_Later_**

"I take it Ayumi likes to keep to herself, huh?" I asked Noriko.

"Well normally she's a lot more outgoing and cheerful then how you've been seeing her. She's been acting strange ever since her dad got remarried a few weeks ago," Noriko told me.

"I see," I answered, not feeling very surprised for some reason.

Kana came in with a tray of juice and cookies. "Ayumi," she said, "it's time for your snack." She walked to the little coffee table in Noriko's room and set the tray down in front of Ayumi. "It's nice to have someone to play with, don't you think so?" Ayumi didn't answer. "I really wish you would talk to me more. Why don't you have a cookie?" Still no response. 'Don't you want one?" Ayumi didn't look up. Kana frowned. "Fine. Suit yourself," Kana said before standing up and walking out, closing the door loudly behind her.

_Damn. This lady has no parenting skills._

"It's okay sweetie," Noriko said to Ayumi "Is it alright with you if your Aunt Noriko had a cookie?" she asked before reaching over and grabbing one.

"No!" Ayumi yelled and slapped the cookie out of her hand. "Those cookies are no good!" she yelled "Minnie told me so. She said all the snacks are poisoned. Minnie told me my new mom is a witch. She said she made dad her servant with her magic. She said Ayumi and Aunt Nori are in the way so she's trying to poison us," Ayumi finished and clutched Minnie.

_Oh lord, we're screwed at this rate._

**_Later_**

I ran off to find Naru to tell him about Ayumi and the doll. I found him in the room we had the glass vase experiment.

"Naru?" I asked.

"Mai. Have you seen the glass vase that was in here?" Naru asked me.

"No, I thought you moved it." I didn't bother to hide my confusion. It's not like he could see it through my hood anyway.

"It was. Originally it was sitting on this table, in the middle of our little circle. However, it's no longer here," Naru explained.

"Strange." I thought about asking if he'd looked for it, but I realized it was a dumb question.

"I'll help look around."

It took a few minutes to find it on top of the bookshelf.

"yo, Naru!" I called, about to report my findings. The door slammed shut. Naru looked over at me, then the door. I yipped, much like a dog who's tail had been stepped on, and stared at the door.

Naru instead opting to try the door.

"Are we locked in?" I asked.

"Yes," Naru said. I wanted to pull open the door, but wasn't able to since my paws wouldn't be able to wrap around the handle.

Suddenly the vase flew at us, and I quickly grabbed both of us and landed onto the floor, growling deep in my throat. Naru could probably feel the vibrations it was so loud.

After a few moments Naru stood up and pulled me to my feet, being careful of the glass around us. He tried the door, it opened like it had never been locked.

"It's toying with us," Naru stated.

"I noticed." I grumbled.

"It knows we're here and that we're trying to figure out what it is, so it's playing with us. It's under the assumption that we can't find it," Naru explained.

"So it's as much a pain in the neck as you are." Naru frowned deeper, but nodded anyway.

A book slammed on the ground. More books and other objects started slamming around us. We turned to leave, and right on cue, the door slammed closed again.

_Check that, it's worse than Naru._

Naru tried the door. When it didn't work, he pulled me closer before setting me between the wall and himself. I started growling again, my ears falling against my head in irritation. This creep seriously needs to stop protecting me.

It only lasted about a minute or two, and it felt like hours, but the activity eventually stopped. Naru grabbed my clothed arm and yanked me out of there before I could gather myself together in the first place.

Later on, I could vaguely remember going to bed and having a dream with Naru-look-alike talking to me. I hardly remember anything else, but his words haunted me the rest of the night

_"Ayumi is in great danger."_

**_Naru's P.O.V_**

**_Later_**

I waited for Noriko to bring the doll. My suspicions of the doll had increased.

Mai.

The dog hadn't stopped confusing me yet. She was so sarcastic, so annoying, yet she seemed to care more than she let on.

Noriko chose that moment to come in carrying the blonde doll into base, interrupting my thoughts.

"This is Ayumi's doll, Minnie," Noriko said. "My brother bought it for her as a present right before they moved into the house with me."

"Did Ayumi's behavior change before she got the doll, or after?" I questioned.

"Um, it was after," Noriko told me after a moment's pause.

The door opened to show a panting Ayumi. "Let go of her!" she demanded and ran up to me trying to get the doll. "I'll save you Minnie!" I pulled the doll up out of her reach. "Give her back!"

I sank down to her level "Now Ayumi, I understand you're able to talk to Minnie."

Ayumi took the doll back from me.

"Don't you ever touch her again!" she yelled as she ran off.

"Ayumi!" Noriko shouted after her.

**_Later_**

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

Noriko and I snuck into where Ayumi laid in bed.

Noriko gently grabbed the doll from Ayumi's side without the girl noticing. "Ayumi, I'm sorry. I just need to borrow Minnie for a little bit," she apologized to the sleeping girl.

I was told to place the doll in Ayumi's room while Noriko went to bed. We were going to watch the doll and see if anything happened.

"So that's Minnie, huh? Surprised the little squirt let you take her," Monk commented.

"She can yell at me in the morning. If I'm alive, that is." I took my arms out of my pockets and crossed them. I looked at the monitors a moment longer "she's gotta be the ugliest lookin thing I've ever seen."

"I guess," Monk answered. "Archeologists believe that dolls were originally meant as vessels for trapping people's souls. Being soulless and empty on the inside, a spirit could possess them more easily," Monk told me, then changed the subject. "So Naru, are we just going to watch this doll all night?" Naru didn't answer, instead standing up suddenly.

I, who had been looking at them, looked straight back at the screen.

The doll was face down on the bed.

"The hell? It wasn't like that a minute ago." I stated, finding new interest in the ugly thing.

I heard a little kid's voice in my ear. _"Hello miss."_

The doll started to move down the bed on the screen like she was being pulled at her feet.

_I see you're scared._ The voice chuckled._ Your teammates aren't much better._

_Go to hell._

_You should be scared, miss._

_Why? I've got a lighter on me. Tell me Minnie, are you fond of melting?_

The doll's head disconnected from her body.

_I found you._

_It's not that hard to find me, just ask Naru._

_I see you._

The doll's head hit the camera screen.

_And I'm watching you._

_I'm aware of that._

I suddenly realized I had been growling deep in my throat the past few minutes, while the others looked at the screen.

_We are in deep shit._

**Here's chapter 4! Some people reviewed saying I should create my own case files, but I'm not nearly tech savvy or detailed oriented enough to live up to your expectations.**

**Review!**


	5. the doll house part 2

**No flames! I thought I'd make it clear, but Mai can eat human foods. She just can't eat the stuff that kills dogs, chocolate, caffeine, etc. in case anyone might be wondering.**

**_Day 3_**

After a few seconds of the doll's glass eye staring us down on the monitor before the camera shut off. I raised my head, and not thinking about the fact there's a family in the house and the fact that the members of S.P.R were still getting used to the fact they had a dog in there midst's, let a short howl.

"We lost picture," Naru stated while Lin sat up to see if it was the monitor. Monk ran out the door, I following closely.

He questioned me while we ran "you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I questioned, hardly registering the fact I had scared the crap out of my fellow workers.

"You just let loose a howl."

"I know." We were about to reach the top of the steps, so I quickly answered "hunting instincts. It moved, I want to attack." It only makes sense to me, but it's an answer.

He quickly dropped the subject as we flung open the door. "No way" he breathed. The doll was in the same position we left it in.

"What the heck?" I muttered sniffing wildly. _Why doesn't this damn thing have a scent_?

"Yeah, it somehow moved back to its original position," Monk answered.

"This is common," Naru told us, popping out of frickin nowhere. We turned to face him "Spirits don't care for mechanical devices" as if that was what I wanted to know.

He then walked over and picked up the doll and walked out, leaving me confused to hell and back.

After a moment, Monk and I followed Naru back to the base only to be dismissed to get some sleep.

**_Day 4_**

_This is going way too far. Things are getting dangerous. I don't think Ayumi and Minnie should be together anymore._

_Well no shit Naru, did this just occur to you?"_

I was about to knock on Ayumi's door to talk to her once again about Minnie when I heard something.

"This house is teeming with evil witches," a voice was saying. _Who the hell is that?_

"Even Aunt Nori?" Ayumi asked the voice. Or at least, I guessed she was asking the voice.

"Auntie is one of the witch's minions," the voice replied. My ear twitched, and once again a growl ripped its way from my throat.

Yet another joy of being a dog. The fact we're way overprotective of kids, especially little kids around the age of Minnie. Know them or not, I've been tempted to rip people's arms off to protect a kid for less than the fact than they were talking to a strange voice with no scent.

_Wait, no scent?_

"But I don't want Auntie to go, she's my friend," Ayumi responded.

"No," the voice hissed "I'll get rid of her for you, along with the rest of them. You just need to do exactly as I say, okay?"

Quickly making sure my hood was up and my hands were in my pockets, I opened the door with my sleeve and stepped in, only to find Ayumi with Minnie.

"Ayumi, were you just having a conversation with someone?" better to ask than to be confused.

"Yeah," she pointed at her doll. _I'm starting to hate that damned doll._

_"_Minnie?" I questioned.

"There were some other kids too" Ayumi pointed to the door I just came in through. "Huh, I guess they're gone."

"Guess they didn't want the extra company huh?" I joked, trying not to freak because I know I didn't leave that door open. "How long have you been having friends over?"

"I don't know," Ayumi answered.

"Is Minnie friends with them to?" I could already guess the answer, but I had to ask anyway.

"Minnie's the one that brought them here," Ayumi answered me, proving my suspicions correct.

I glanced at the doll. _What the hell are you?_

**_Later_**

"So what's the story on this house? Is it notorious around the neighborhood for being haunted?" Ayako questioned. _How's that going to help Ayumi?_

"It's the doll we should be concerned with, not the house," Monk said. "You said the kid claimed that it was Minnie that brought over the invisible friends, didn't she?"

"Must I repeat myself again?" I was to shaken to come up with a better answer.

Monk looked over to Naru. "Can a spirit possess a doll like that and communicate through it?"

Naru stood up. "It is a definite possibility. Do you want to try and get rid of it?" Naru asked. _This isn't a cockroach infestation! This is a crazy ass ghost trying to terrify a little girl!_

Monk smirked "I'd like nothing more than to take down that doll."

And then he left to get ready.

_**While Monk was performing his exorcism, Ayako stayed by Ayumi's side while she slept.**_

_This better work, or I may just rip the doll apart with my teeth._

I was in base, watching the monitors. Suddenly, I heard a scream.

It was Noriko. _Here we go again._

"What the hell is going on in here?" I yelled as I found her on the ground in a hallway.

"My leg," she gasped, in pain. I couldn't really be of much help since I can't take my paws out of my pockets.

Monk bent down to examine her leg, me more or less skirting around the sidelines.

"Your ankle is dislocated," Monk informed her.

"It felt like someone really strong was pulling me by my leg," Noriko told us.

I looked down at her leg. There was a hand sized bruise there. _Well, no way it ain't a ghost._

It was then that Naru decided to ask Ayumi a few questions. We both went to Noriko's bedroom, and I sat next to Ayumi while Naru stood in front of us both, more or less for effect than comfort.

"Where is Minnie?" Ayumi asked, unsurprisingly.

"Minnie's with me for a little while," Naru told her. "Now I need you to tell me all there is to know about your new friends, okay?" _well, at least he's trying to be nice._

"Give her back to me!" Ayumi demanded. _Oh boy, this isn't going to go well._

"How long ago did Minnie start talking to you?" Naru asked another question.

"Give her back! You can't take my friend away from me!" Ayumi screeched. Naru, finally snapping, growled.

"Listen, Ayumi. Your Aunt Noriko's hurt, and Minnie did it to her, now talk!"

She flinched, and started crying. She curled up into my sweatshirt, not seeming to mind that I didn't wrap my arms around her. "Nice one, you donkey." While Ayumi didn't get the meaning, I knew Naru did.

"I'm just doing my job, Mai," Naru stated simply.

"Doesn't give you the right to make her cry." I told him.

I'm sorry!" Ayumi cried out, interrupting our argument. "I'm sorry! Minnie said I wasn't allowed to talk to anybody. She said she'd hurt me if I made any friends! I'm sorry!" Ayumi sobbed.

"When did Minnie start talking to you?" Naru asked. _At least he's trying to make up for it._

"When we moved into this house," Minnie told us before explaining. Minnie didn't talk before that, but that night Minnie started talking to her, saying how Kana was an evil witch and her dad was her servant, and that they were plotting to kill her. However, Aunt Noriko sometimes was, and sometimes wasn't on either side. Minnie kept changing that fact, which often scaring her about how easily Kana could put Noriko under a spell. Minnie promised to protect her, as long as Ayumi wasn't nice to anyone. "Whenever I would forget her promise and play with Aunt Nori, Minnie would break things and mess up the bedroom as punishment. She'd always say 'That's what you get for breaking your promise. Don't try me again,'" Ayumi concluded her crazy story, while I tried to keep my growling down to a minimum.

"I want to rip that doll apart." I seethed, not bothering to keep my anger down.

"And was it around this time Minnie started inviting other friends to the house as well?" Naru asked, not even close to as sympathetic as I was being.

Ayumi nodded. "Lots of 'em. Kids just like me. Minnie says that her friends were her servants." _Alright, there's creep factor._

We all ended up back at base after that, looking at the Minnie as she sat in the chair.

"She's definitely causing this. Makes me wonder if the previous owner died of an illness and possessed the doll," Monk stated.

"That thing gives me the creeps," Ayako said as she shivered slightly from across the room, "This is exactly why I've hated dolls since I was a child."

"I had a couple of them when I was little" I commented "I'd get them just to see my cousin melt them to a crisp. I always found it oddly interesting to watch a Barbie dolls face become plastic wax." The looks on their faces were the equivalent of someone shouting 'get the hug me coat and padded room ready, we've got a crazy!'

I gave a barking laugh, even with all that was going on. Naru ignored the last comment I had made and plowed on.

"Minnie is not the one behind this," Naru stated. _What the hell? Are you nuts?_

"How could you say that after what we've seen?" Monk asked. _Sadly, my point exactly. God, I'm starting to agree with these people…. Maybe I do need a hug me coat and padded room._

"Because the doll is only being used as a vessel," he answered. "There's a restless spirit that's possessing this house. Until we can find a way to discover its true identity, Ayumi is in grave danger."

"No shit?" I snorted "this just registered on your radar? Baka." I was once again ignored, something I was quickly getting used to.

"Mai!" someone yelled. I ran out the door and found Kana and Noriko staring at the wall next to the door.

"Look," Noriko pointed.

'Bad girls will be punished' in a child's handwriting, written with a crayon.

_Alright, I get it, something bad happened. Why the hell am I the one you called!?_

"Ayumi just confessed to me something that she was warned to never speak of," Naru told them. "Minnie believes that Ayumi has betrayed her. Mai, I want you to be with Ayumi at all times."

_Why am I the one being the guard dog? Oh, I get it, funny pun Naru. Let the dog protect the kid. Well, I'm not a guard dog! Hell, I'm actually mostly a herding dog from what I look like and why the hell am I pondering this!?_

"Cool." I told Naru.

Another interesting fact about dogs. When we get attached to a kid, like Ayumi is becoming attached to me for example, we will do anything to keep the kid safe.

Including killing humans or flinging themselves into something that could kill the dog.

Meaning that bastard was going down, one way or another.

**_Day 5_**

Noriko and I sat together on the porch while Ayumi played in the yard right in front of us. Ayumi wanted to play after lunch and Noriko took her outside, and I of course followed along, being the newly registered guard dog from that morning onward.

"They're getting the stuff off the wall" I reported to Noriko.

The others had ditched the job to Ayako. I could practically hear her complaining, saying, "I don't see why I have to be the one to do this…" to no one, being the person I know.

**Monk was busy himself, he was the one in charge of burning Minnie, something I have no clue what the process would be, but I could smell smoke coming from where he was.**

"You've been a big help, thank you," Noriko commended.

"No prob, I know how hard this has been on you, especially with Kana leaving…" It was true, we found a note from her this morning, saying _I can't stay another second in this creepy house. Coward._

"I really appreciate it," Noriko thanked again.

Ayumi ran up to Noriko. "Auntie? How's your foot doing?" she asked.

"Much better. Actually once you started being friends with me again the pain went away," Noriko told her, moving her foot to demonstrate.

"That's great!" Ayumi smiled. "I'm going to pick some flowers for you." She turned to me. "Do you want to come with me?"

I was surprised by this request for two distinct reasons. One, she was asking the girl who kept her hood up and hands in her pockets, looking exactly like a serial killer you would see in bad horror movies, and two, no one had ever asked me to do something like that before. With family, you went and bought plastic flowers from a nearby store, so I'd never even gone flower picking.

Aren't I just pathetic?

"alright." We went to the flower garden "what are we picking?" I figure I'd point them out and she'd grab them herself.

"The prettiest ones!" Ayumi responded, making me feel like an idiot. She was what, seven? It didn't matter as long as they looked pretty. I doubt she even knew their names. Not that I did either. "Like that one," she pointed to one of the flowers. Ayumi reached over to pick it.

Suddenly, Ayumi gasped. "Something wrong?"

"My hands are stuck!" Ayumi cried, trying to move her hands away. Not worried that she would see my paws, I immediately started digging deep into the dirt, when her hands pulled away; I noticed there was nothing there.

Next thing I noticed was Ayumi running off to another part of the yard.

"Mai, go get her!" Noriko yelled. _Again, why me!?_ "She's running right towards the pond!" I ran after her.

"Minnie I'm so sorry!" Ayumi yelled. "Don't be mad at me! Please don't be mad at me!"

It was then I smelled the water of a pond. _Shit!_

Knowing just what I was going to have to do, as well as all I was about to reveal, I prepared myself for a dip in the pond. I shook my hood off my head, reared back my head so my canines were fully visible and at the ready, and sunk them deep into my left sleeve.

The shirt would weigh me down, since I swim like a dog, and the shreds could be used to keep Ayumi warm if I managed to get her out alive.

Hearing the sound of fabric ripping, I multi-tasked with trying to get my shoes off, run, and rip my shirt off. I managed to do so just as Ayumi hit the water.

Ayumi bobbed for a few minutes, still shrieking 'sorry' to Minnie, just as I jumped in after her.

I barely registered the feel of the cold water as I quickly plunged deeper and farther from shore, where I could faintly smell Ayumi.

After a few moments of frantic doggy paddling (ha ha, oh fall of a cliff) I finally spotted Ayumi. She was rapidly sinking, her hair moving almost cutely as she slowly descended.

I nudged her so she was wrapped around her neck, before aiming for where I hoped the surface was

**_ Later_**

Ayumi cried into Noriko's shoulder. "Auntie." She was soaked; I was on all fours, my fur matted and my pants sticking to my hindquarters. I quickly located the remains of my sweatshirt and sighed. Great, there goes my only sweatshirt. I hope they don't mind me wearing my black undershirt for the rest of the case.

It was in three pieces, all of them covered in bite marked shaped holes. Hell, I hardly remember doing half of this.

"Ayumi, it's okay, you're safe now," Noriko comforted her.

I grabbed what was left of the back of my sweatshirt and covered her with it. It was the only thing I had that was dry at this point. I smelled like wet dog, was a wet dog, and felt like a wet dog.

Suddenly I smelt nothing. I looked over at the lake, just in time to see Minnie floating on the water.

_Is this the punishment Minnie threatened her with?_

_Suddenly, she disappeared once again._

It was official. It Minnie did this just to play with us, then we're screwed.

**_Naru's P.O.V_**

**_Later_**

"I just don't get it!" Monk was ranting "she didn't burn at all!"

Suddenly, the door slammed open, to reveal a worried Noriko, a soaked and shirtless Mai whom was glaring at anyone who even glanced at her fur, and Ayumi with what looked to be part of Mai's shirt draped over her, also soaked.

She glared at me a moment before seething "this was not in my job description."

Something told me was in for it, and for some reason, a drenched and pissy Mai was starting to worry me more than Minnie herself was.

**_Later_**

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

Later that evening we had put Ayumi to sleep after drying her off properly and getting me my black undershirt to put on. Ayako tried to towel dry me off, but she stopped trying after almost getting her arm bitten off.

"I've decided to move us out of the house," Noriko said, sitting on the bed and looking at Ayumi.

"That's a good plan." After explaining that was just cursed, instead of a werewolf, Noriko had quickly adjusted to seeing a dog on two feet walking around her house.

You should know that there are some poltergeists that will follow you regardless of where you may be," Naru advised her. _Isn't that just lovely._

"Really?" Noriko said in disbelief.

"There's no need to panic," Naru continued "I've been doing extensive research on the previous owners of this house. Before you and your family moved in, a family by the name of Watanabe lived here. They only lived her for three years and left due to a job transfer."

"But before them was the Nogi family. They had a nine-year-old girl who died of an illness here. Before them were the Nonama's. Three of their children died here within a six-month span."

"damn." I muttered.

"Two boys and one girl. Ten, eight, and seven-years-old. Two of them were killed in a car accident and the other died of an illness. And before them was the Murakami family who had a fifteen-year-old daughter but she's still alive today.

"If we go back even further we have the Tanaguchi family. During a family visit their ten-year-old niece also died of an illness here in the house. Before that the Ikida family lost their youngest son at seven-years-old, and before them the Tachibana family lost their eight-year-old daughter, so there's a definite pattern here. That's all I could find," Naru told us.

"Kids who come here, die here." I summed it up, arms crossed. I hate this undershirt. Its black, my fur is brown, so every bit of my fur is obviously noticeable, and you can tell what's fur and what's fabric easily.

Noriko started sobbing into her hands. "What am I gonna do?"

"We're going to call in some more specialists. If you still want to leave the house I highly recommend you wait until they arrive," Naru told her. _Oh lord, here comes Masako the bitch. I'm never going to hear the end of the fact you can see my pelt a mile away._

After a while Noriko calmed down. Minnie sat in the computer chair while Monk and Naru argued. "It's got to have something to do with this doll!" Monk announced "I've seen this type of case before! A girl who loves a certain doll passes away, then her spirit takes control of the doll and manipulates it to her will." _You've seen this shit before? Dammmn. _

"I told you before, the doll itself is not the problem," Naru said, turning to look at the doll. "Minnie is being used as a vessel for a sight-bound spirit inside the house."

"I just don't buy it," Monk sighed. Then the doorbell rang, ending the discussion for the moment.

I open the door to find John the priest and Masako the bi- I mean Masako the medium.

"Hey Mai it's good to see you again," John greeted. I was relieved that he hardly even glanced at my shirt.

"Nice to see you to. Now get in, and just a warning, we're screwed."

"What is this?" I heard from behind us as John and I started down the hall. Masako had stopped just steps from the entrance. "It's horrible; I've never been in such a disturbed house before."

Next thing I know, I'm helping her down the hall as she grips onto my fur (yanking painfully by the way) and I'm scrambling to find something my paws can wrap into so I won't drop. She's worth millions, millions I don't have if she decided to sue my ass because I dropped her on her butt.

I lead her to base, more or less bored with the fact the girl in my arms looked ready to faint.

"We're here." I told her "sit down before I drop you."

Ayako seemed to be more sympathetic as she

Naru then stepped up to us. Masako then over-dramatically fell from my arms onto Naru's chest.

_Bad flirt. Even I could do better than that._

Naru looked down. "Are you okay?" _I almost feel bad for him._

"This house is surrounded by the spirits of children. They're all suffering terribly," Masako informed Naru "They just keep crying, saying they want to be with their mothers, over and over again. I've never seen so many spirits in one house, and they're all innocent children." Masako decided then to pass out. I let her fall into me, more or less wanting this conversation to end.

"She's out." I monotone, getting everyone to (minus Naru and Lin of course) to gasp.

The next few minutes were spent with Ayako and John trying to help Masako, while I more or less stood there.

**_Naru's P.O.V_**

**_Later_**

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed be thy name. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. May God bless your soul," John said over the girl. She wore a cross around her neck. "For the time being I've offered up a prayer. Your niece will be safe for the next couple of hours," the blonde exorcist told Noriko.

"Thank you Father," Noriko bowed.

John turned to me. "Now then Kazuya I'd very much like to see this-" he was interrupted by the door opening.

"Naru, I can't find Minnie anywhere! It's like she just completely disappeared!" he shouted.

"So she's run away, has she?" I muttered. "Don't worry, she'll turn up soon."

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

**_Later_**

It was almost two am, and Minnie had yet to show up. All the boys plus myself were in base. Masako was still unwell and Ayako watched guard over Ayumi with Noriko. Everyone was just staring at the monitors and computers. Silently waiting for something would happen. Something had to happen soon.

The clock struck two and at that exact moment everything started.

"We've got noise." I told them.

"Patch it in," Naru ordered.

Noises were flowing through the house. They hurt my ears, so I flattened them to my head as much as possible.

"Sounds like children," John inputted. "Dear God… There's so many of them."

"There looking for Ayumi, aren't they?" might as well understand the situation at hand.

"John's prayer is having some effect," Monk commented "Perhaps a kukkai barrier would help as well."

"What's a Kukkai?" I had to ask, being the dumb person I was at times.

"It's a special charm that's used to thwart any spirits from entering," Monk explained.

Then it stopped.

"Are we done here?" no answer "I'd guessed not."

The door clicked open, revealing a frantic Ayako. "Naru I found Minnie, look!" she exclaimed, carrying a bundle in her arms.

"I noticed a bulge under the covers at the foot of Ayumi's bed and sure enough the doll had found its way in there," Ayako explained as we stared. _He we go again._

"Is Ayumi alright?" John questioned. _If she wasn't alright, would we be standing here?_

"She's fine," Ayako confirmed. _See, exactly my point. God, get me my hug me coat, please._

**_Day 6_**

John was blessing Minnie, taking a crack at getting the spirit out of Minnie. We were in a storage room.

Minnie lay on the table in front of us, a cross placed on the table near her head, as John recited his prayers. He then placed a cross on her forehead.

Minnie's eyelids shot open. _Holy shit!_

I growled at the doll, and Monk scooted away from me. None of them were used to my animal reaction yet, so it must surprise them every time I do anything like that.

John took out holy water, and unscrewed the cap.

Minnie started to shake, like the spirit inside her was fighting it. Actually, it was fighting it. And the cross was white-hot, I could smell smoke. My growl never stopped as my ears fell back in anger.

"…and the Darkness comprehended it not." John continued. Minnie also stopped thrashing about. The doll was now just that, a doll. Smoke now rose from around where it lay. It fell off, revealing a burn mark of the cross on the forehead of the doll.

"I believe the spirit has now been cleansed," John announced, "though that doesn't mean it has been destroyed. I think it would be best for us to burn the doll so it can never be used for evil again."

I had to say it "get me some matches! Or a phone to call my cousin. He might like watching Minnie burn, if he ain't in prison for burning down that old ladies house." _Not funny, true. The lady came out with no eyebrows while the police found my cousin covered in gas. And yes, if you're wondering, I come from the stereotypical red neck family. Yee frickin haw._

It burned easily, me being the one who set the damned thing on fire.

**_Later_**

"I believe Minnie's true identity is the spirit that haunts this house," John said. It was just the guys in base again, discussing the case. "Do you think it could be one of the children who died here?"

"There's a good chance," Monk responded. "The spirits were probably lonely by themselves so they try to bring over children that inhabit the house and befriend them. Those children become sightbound spirits as well."

"Why is it just the children?" Naru questioned.

"Huh?"

"If they were lonely, why not choose Noriko or Mai, someone who could act as a substitute mother. However for some reason Minnie was attempting to eliminate them. Why do that?"

The door opened and Mai walked in. she shut the door the best she could without being able to really grasp a doorknob.

"Mai, how's Miss Hara?" Naru asked her.

"Out cold."

"I see," he responded.

Naru sat down in one of the chairs. "Monk, I'd like you to try cleansing the house again," he said.

"You sure?" Monk replied curiously.

"The first to die was Yuki Tachibana. Here's her info and posthumous Buddhist name. she was of the Judo sect." he responded.

"How'd you find that out? Those records are over seventy years old." Monk questioned.

"It was rather easy," Naru responded vaguely, then got up and walked over to Lin. "Let me see the records up till now,"

Mai sighed "you should play the lottery with your luck."

**_Later_**

"I thought you said that ghosts can follow us, so will we really be safe in a hotel?" Noriko questioned Naru.

Naru held out a piece of paper with strange writing on it. "This charm will protect you, just to be safe I'm sending Father Brown and Ms. Matsuzaki to stay with you." Noriko took the charm firmly into her hands.

"Thank you," she said.

Ayumi turned to me. "Mai are you gonna come with us?"

I leaned down "sorry. But a priest and a monk are better protection than a furry kid."

I watched them pile into the car and drive away. Naru, Monk, Masako, and I stood at the door.

"Is it working, Miss Hara?" Naru questioned.

"The spirits have yet to notice," she reported "it appears as if the charm is working well."

"Alright, let's get back to work," Monk said, stretching tiredly. _Here we go again. Kill me now, turn me into a rug for all I care, but please stop all of this shit._

**_Later_**

Lin, Naru, and I were at base, and Monk sat in Ayumi's room.

"Monk, you ready?" Naru asked over the audio system.

"Ready as I'll ever be," was Monk's response. He started his chanting, and I stopped listening.

"The temperature around the bed is starting to drop considerably, it's already down two degrees in the last minute," Lin reported. _And here I was hoping for a peacefully moment today._

"And the audio?" Naru questioned.

"Nothing to speak of at this point, although I'm not getting the usual static," Lin told him. A few minutes later, Lin spoke up again. "I'm picking up something else now," he held his headphone closer to his ear, "Knocking sounds."

I noticed something in the monitors "Naru, look!"

"What the…?" Naru saw it too. The lens in the living room was fogging up. "Lin, give me the temp in the living room,"

"It's currently at negative two degrees,"

"It's dropping?" Naru grabbed the mic that was connected to the camera in Ayumi's room. "Monk we've got you in the wrong room. All the activity's coming from the living room,"

"What?!" Monk quickly rushed to the living room.

"What the hell!" I yelled. Now the monitor was filling with images of crying children, their faces stuck in strands of smoke.

"Woah, what the?" Monk yelled when he got into the living room. "I've got multiple apparitions in here!" Monk yelled, waving his arms about.

Monk straightened up and started chanting again.

The children started screaming louder. _They're in pain! Monk's exorcism is hurting those children…_

"…Tomiko…" I heard over the audio.

"Tomiko," I heard again, more clearly this time. The figure was starting to solidify into a woman. "My child," she pined. Naru obviously saw her too. The woman opened her eyes, which glowed against the dark fog she was surrounded by. "Tomiko," she said, her voice now extremely dark.

**Ta-da. Here we go again. No flames! I thought that more of Mai's animal instincts should be shown, with all that was happening. Review!**


	6. the doll house part 3

**No flames! I thought Mai might get protective over S.P.R like a dog would over there owner, so she'd fight the ghosts instead of just staring around like she did in the anime.**

**_July_**

**_Day 6_**

"Monk there's something behind you," Naru yelled. He stopped his chanting and looked behind him. _You just decided to glance around for monsters in a room full of spirits? Powers above help me, they are idiots._

"What? There's nothing in here Naru!" Monk answered. My growling got even deeper.

"Damn, I guess he can't see it," Naru muttered. _This just occurred to you!? God damn, and I thought I was dumb._

Quickly switching to four paws, which are much faster to run with by the way, I quickly ran to the living room like there was no tomorrow, practically ripping the door open with my claws and teeth, not minding I probably chipped both on the way in.

"Mai, wait!" I heard Naru shout behind me with my dog hearing. I didn't listen. _Get off of my back dumbass! You aren't my boss…. Well, technically you are, but you get the point and why am I thinking something as trivial as this over!?_

"Run Monk!" I growled, snapping viciously at any ghosts that came near my pelt.

"Go, right now!" Monk yelled.

The ghost was gone.

"The hell?" I muttered "we could see it on camera…"

"Don't just stand there Mai, get out of here!" Monk yelled again.

"I'm not the only one in danger!" I argued, snapping at a ghost that came to close, my muzzle feeling cold as it passed through easily.

_'No one can interfere with me!' _A raspy whispered in my ear.

Then, I felt hands on my neck, choking me. I fruitlessly scratched at my head and neck the best I could with my paws. I yipped, my dog instincts taking over the human instincts.

I quickly started moving around, pacing every direction I could trying to shake whatever it was off my pelt.

"Mai!" he yelled, before chanting his mantra again, warding off the hands. I collapsed in one big furry heap of nerves, panting heavily. "Mai, Mai are you okay?" he asked, going to pick me up.

Rearing back, I growled and bit deep into his hand, tasting blood. I couldn't control myself!

"Come on, let's go," Monk murmured softly in my ear after giving a small yell. He carefully picked me up and started walking out, me in his arms, whining pathetically a moment as I quickly gathered myself.

_God, I'm way too easy to take down_.

Then, we heard loud thuds behind us. Monk turned, and I jumped out of his arms, feeling embarrassed and stupid at my flipping out as I looked at whatever he was staring at.

_A big hole in the middle of the frickin room. just lovely._

**_Later_**

"Looks like the house was built over this well, must be pretty old," Monk said, kneeling beside the thing. _No Monk, I dug it myself, I'm sorry for not mentioning it. Where else would it have come from?_

"There's the spirit of an Oshima here…" Masako announced "She's lurking deep down inside the well, calling to the children's spirits and pretending to be their mother. The children only want to return home. They're lost and can't find their way out."

"Let me guess, Minnie's down there to?"

"Minnie, who is actually Yuki Tachibana, acts as ringleader of the children, but in reality, she is so much pain and sadness that she just wants all of this to stop," Masako informed the group.

"Can't blame her." I grunted.

"It appears to me that this well bores deep into the earth, and at the very bottom lay the spirits of the children, trapped in the dark," Masako finished, ignoring me completely.

"Who is this Tomiko?" Naru questioned.

"It's Oshima's child," she turned her attention to Naru, "She's looking for her child. Tomiko is her daughter, that's why she's gathering the children." _I don't know whether that's sick or sad._

"Now we're getting somewhere," Naru muttered. He started walking away.

"Where the hell are you goin?" I demanded.

"I need to take care of something," he responded.

I didn't ask further as he walked out the door. He wouldn't answer me if I asked anyway.

I turned to Ayako and John "who's ready to fail this time?"

John looked confused. _How many morons are there in my life right now!? Actually… I don't think I want to know that answer._

"Which of you two is up to the challenge?" Monk smirked largely. "I'm warning you, it's intense in there."

"He's got the bite marks to prove it." I commented "don't worry; if I go with you I won't bit your arm. I'll probably get your neck." I gave them a toothy grin, making them all the more uncomfortable. _Well, someone has to be the awkward person they only have around because there useful, and while I ain't useful, I can sure as hell fill in the awkward part._

Ayako sneered. "Fine, I guess I'll do it, but if I go one of you 'brave' men will have to watch Ayumi for me."

"Why? You're the one they're gonna wanna screw with, not Ayumi." My humor is obviously not being appreciated.

"Sure thing." Monk answered.

"Of course." John finished, I sighed

"Let me guess. Even though everything frickin thing is covered and everyone's got a job, someone's going to drag me along with them to be ghost fodder." I crossed my arms and gave an aggravated sigh.

Ayako's smirk just got wider, the damned old witch.

**_Later_**

She began her exorcism at sunset.

"May the heart of this house be cleansed…" Ayako began.

_And why the hell am I here for? Ghost fodder? I knew she was old and stupid, but I didn't realize she was a coward._

My fur started prickling from the cold, making me shake myself.

_Okay, who turned up the A.C?_

Ayako barely noticed, and kept praying some nonsense words that are somehow supposed to drive off ghosts… _maybe they bore them away? That would make sense…_

Thumps starting coming from everywhere, making me jump to my four paws and whip my head around. Ayako stopped praying.

"Why the hell are you stoppin?" I demanded "you want your paycheck or not!?"

"Take it easy," she was about to begin her prayers again when she gasped, and curled herself slightly to her right side.

"What's with you?"

"I just felt something touch me," Ayako whispered, slightly scared. I scoffed.

"Oh wahh baby. You're a 'professional'. if you haven't faced worse than this unscathed then you obviously are a cheap one." sometimes getting people pissed makes them concentrate so they'll do a really good job in their anger, and that's what I'm hoping will happen.

And of course, I feel someone grab my hind leg, once again reaffirming my belief in karma and my irritation towards the spook who decided she liked messing with the mutt.

"Oh god damnit!" well, it hasn't done anything, so maybe it's not going to hurt me…

_Ah who am I kidding? This is my luck were talking about here. I'm screwed._

"Mai, what's wrong?" Ayako asked, also reaffirming my belief that these people I work with are way to forgiving if they're asking me if I'm alright after wounding their pride and very large egos.

"Something got my leg." Man, why is my voice so stressed sounding? What's the worst it could do? Flip me upside down and knock my head against the floor?

And of course, just to screw with me, it decided it's going to fling my pathetic ass down the well.

"HOLY SHIT!" I screamed as I fly down towards the well of souls. I tried to find any purchase to stop myself with, but with wood floors and paws there was no way that was going to work.

"Mai!" Ayako yelled, and started to get up from the floor.

I, having no sense of what else to do, screamed what first came to mind "I can't stop!" like she hadn't already noticed.

"Mai!" Ayako yelled again, obviously copying my last tactic, as Lin burst through the door, undoubtedly having seen what was happening from base.

"Taniyama!" he yelled and tried to catch up with me.

I let out a bloodchilling howl, more or less as a goodbye and to screw with them. If I was going down, I was going down giving them the creep's god damnit!

"QUICK, grab my hand!" he yelled, extending his arm really far to try to grab mine, not like I could grab on to anything.

"Paws you mor-" before I could finish, I went down, listening to their yells as I hit the bottom.

**_Dream_**

I could hear a drop of water splash. _Is this death? I can feel my heartbeat though…._

I opened my eyes and had three random thoughts in this exact order.

_Why the hell are there birds in a well?_

_I'm in a strange room that seemed more or less Japanese themed._

_I must be dreaming._

I heard a light thump. I turned to see the door leading outside left open, and out in the yard was a small girl in a kimono was playing with a ball. _Okay… who shrunk Masako?_

Then, a man came up to her. I couldn't see him clearly, but he obviously was talking to the little girl. _Does 'don't talk to strangers' ring a bell for you, Kid?_ The girl was being lead off by the man, carrying her ball under her arm. _Why do I feel like that character in a horror movie that survives by the skin of her teeth? Stay away or die type of feeling, but I feel like it's the kid I should be worried about…. _I watched as the pair disappeared beyond into the horizon. _Well, that was sad._

"Tomiko!" I heard a woman's voice yell as a shadow appeared in front of me. I could see a woman in a kimono running off, searching in the now dark scenery. "Tomiko, Tomiko!"

_You're too late…._

"Tomiko!" she yelled again before stopping suddenly. There was a pond, just like the one in Noriko's backyard. On its surface, the ball that had belonged to the girl floated, showing exactly what I'd thought had happened had actually occured. When the mother saw it, she gripped her head and screamed. "NO!"

My ears fell back. _Damn._

I looked to the side to see the scenery change yet again. The woman from before stood, gripping the edges of a well. She was crying, and I heard as her tears hit the water.

I stood and watched her, my ears back and a small whine flowing from me. I knew what she was going to, but I wasn't about to stop her. I'm a firm believer that if someone wants to die, then to let them die. It isn't natural to force them to stay alive and dose them with happy pills until the end of time. Of course, that's just my screwed up thoughts, I can't blame others for getting mad about them.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned around to see the Naru-look-alike standing there. Obviously, he was reaffirming my thoughts. I can't do anything.

"Tomiko…" the woman's voice whispered as she threw herself down the well.

The black hits me again.

**_End Of Dream_**

"Mai," I heard from the top of the well, "are you hurt?" it was Ayako. _Great_. _Couldn't you have left me alone in my time of somberness!?_

Gathering my senses, I quickly answered, deadpan "I fell down a well. I'm furry, not invincible. Do the flippin math!"

"Oh thank goodness you're okay, Mai!" Ayako sighed, obviously taking my sarcasm as a signal that I was okay. "Just sit tight, Lin's coming right down to help you," she said as Lin, almost on cue, appeared with a rope. _Oh great, the guys who ankle I broke is going to lift me out a well that he could use to cause my 'accidental' death. What are the odds!?_

"If you kill me!" I threatened the older man "I will haunt your ass." I got a laugh out of it, but it obviously wasn't from him or me.

Soon enough, I was out of the well and in base. Ayako checked me over while Lin watched the both of us. Ayako finished checking my head as I started to tell them my dream. If anyone asked, I had a concussion and that's why I was telling them something as stupid as a dream to the person bandaging my tail.

I was uncomfortable. To check me over, she decided it'd be a good idea to take my shirt off. They were used to the fur, but I couldn't help but feel like she was disgusted everytime she glanced at my chest. Why I cared about it, I have no clue.

Anyway, back to the conversation at hand er, paw.

"Really, a kidnapping?" Ayako asked as she was about to put a bandage over my knee. I could tell she was only entertaining me so I wouldn't get mad and bite her nose off, but I wasn't really concerned on who was listening.

"It was a vision. A man just strolls up to the girl and then walks away with her, so that's why I believe her mother threw herself down into the well." _This has gotta be the stupidest conversation I have ever held with someone._

"Hmp," Ayako replied. "You have no experience as a medium so how could your dream possible hold any weight. There." she said as she hit my knee to put the adhesive in place.

I yelped and let off a growl, causing her to back away a little bit.

"Surprisingly enough, I think she may have hit the nail on the head," Lin interjected.

I gave him a curious look "wait, you're actually listening to me? I'm surprised."

"I wouldn't go that far, but it is a possibility," he answered, effectively cutting off my amused look.

I lay down, and Ayako was about to go off somewhere, but I finally spoke up "um… Ayako?"

"What is it?"

I cringed. What the hell was there for me to ask? Do I look ugly to you? Do you hate being around me? I'm a walking pot of teenage hormones and abandonment issues, and I didn't know how to unload that on someone, especially Ayako.

I turned over "uh… never mind."

**_Dream_**

I woke up, again, to a light-filled world, and in front of me was a certain Naru the narcissist look-alike.

_Hey, it's you. Mind telling me why you look like Naru?i didn't think so._

We more or less kinda just stared at each other until he finally said "Ayumi… will be fine."

"No shit. I'd rip anything apart that even looked at her wrong. She's in safe paws."

Suddenly I heard Monk's voice. "Are you sure that's a good idea Naru?" my ears swiveled. _The ass is back? About time!_

I jolted up and looked around. Naru was just taking off his jacket.

"Lin, play back everything you've recorded thus far," Naru demanded as he leaned over to watch him do it.

"Right."

"so." I stood up "the registered smartass has deicded to finally grace us mere mortals with his otherworldly presence has he? What an honor. Where the hell where you when the ghosts decided we looked like fun playtoys?"

He ignored me, go fig.

"Hey," Monk waved. Next to him were Masako, Ayako, and John.

I flicked an ear "brought your jesters with you, did you? Mind telling me why you aren't watching over Ayumi?"

"Naru said there's no use guarding her anymore," Monk answered.

"So we came to help!" John ended. _Suddenly I feel like it's me against a tag team of morons…. Should I be concerned?_

I gave Naru a dry glance "so there's no chance we'll find her decapitated in the morning then?"

"She's fine," Naru said confidently. "Everything will be over tonight."

I couldn't help myself, I really couldn't. I've never been able to keep my mouth shut. "So we're going to commit mass suicide? Or did you talk to Minnie and decide we're all going to die tonight? I never really thought of you as a person who planned that type of thing." I glanced around me "alright, just ignore me like usual. Nevermind."

Well, at least the suicide would have a deeper meaning with Tomiko's mother.

Everyone besides me stood in shock for a moment before we formed a semi-circle as Naru he gave us orders. Before he started however, he gave me the glare of 'one more comment and I will kill you' so I shut my muzzle.

"Ms. Hara, can you see what the spirits are doing?" Naru asked.

Masako concentrated for a moment "They're in the living room. There's no indication that they've gone to the hotel yet."

"Matsuzaki, start making charms that will stop any spirits from passing. I want the rest of you to post them throughout the house. We're going to raise a kukkai in here."

"Care to fill us in on the plan?" Monk asked.

"I'm planning on returning Tomiko back to her mother."

"Oh, so now you're a magician!? That's no possible, dumbass."

"Tomiko cannot be returned physically. Her mother will continue to haunt this place until we can at least create the illusion of her return, so we'll need a substitute." He told us.

A snarl ripped its way through my throat as my ears fell back in warning "if you think I'm going to let you use Ayumi as some sick ghost catching doll, then you're dumber than you act."

Naru answered his usual way. Cryptically. "The problem lies with the woman. If we leave here without removing her we'll have failed."

"Yes but this woman is dangerous," Ayako interrupted. "She nearly killed Mai an hour ago when she pulled her into the well. I think at some point we need to start considering our own safety."

"So you're going to try to run away again? I thought you people were supposed to be brave" I spat, noticing all there looks "pathetic."

"I must say I'm disappointed in all of you, I expected much more," Naru's condescending tone cut through the tense silence. "If you can't even think objectively, then I don't need you."

"I agree with my boss" I raised a paw "something tells me he could get this done whether or not he does or does not have powers."

"The risks are high!" Monk butted in. "If we screw this up our spirits could be trapped here as well!"

Naru blinked before walking towards the door. "Whether or not you want to participate is entirely up to you. Mai, you're free to leave as well."

"And what, leave another kid to die? Hell no." I didn't follow him however. If he needed me he would beckon I suppose.

"Oh, you poor thing Mai," Ayako murmured "he's quite a handful, huh?"

"Look who's talking!"

"If Naru is prepared to go that far then there's at least a chance of success," Masako told us. _Suckup._

"I trust your judgment Masako, and if you think we should then let's do it," Monk chipped in.

"So you're for it now?" I demanded. _Man, these people need to pick sides._

"Well at this point it's the only option we have," Monk started.

"I agree, I think it's a good plan," John finished. _What is it with these two and tag-teaming!?_

Ayako sighed loudly. "If you all end up dead I'll see to your funerals."

"Make sure to donate my fur to those who need it to make blankets. Sound good?" _might as well be useful in some way._

**_Just like Naru told us, we began putting up charms all throughout the house. Well, more like I watched them put up charms and tried not to get in the way._**

"What are those things for anyway?" I asked Ayako, waving my paw towards the plastered wall.

Ayako turned and said, "It's simple-"

"To keep spirits from leaving the house," Naru interrupted.

"I get it now."

"Be aware that we'll be leaving the demongate open to distribute the spirits."

"Oh, just get off it," Ayako grumbled. "Why does he always act like a big shot?"

Monk and I spoke at the same time, me saying "again, look who's talking!" and Monk saying "because he's Naru!"

I twisted my head towards Monk. "While we're on sir asshole, did he say demongate? Because I seriously didn't sign up to fight off demons."

"It's the northeast quarter." He explained "It's the easiest direction for spirits to pass through."

"Monk and Matsuzaki, guard the demongate," Naru ordered. "When the spirits exit , scatter them as best you can."

"So we'll be reducing the number of spirits temporarily to draw the woman out?" Monk asked.

Naru turned to John. "John, I want you to cover the living room and do the same."

"Piece of cake," John answered, sounding way too cheery for a priest that was about to wave holy water at potentially lethal enemies.

"Wait; hold on a second, then who's going to conduct the exorcism?" Monk asked.

"Who do you think?" I snorted, already guessing who. "I certainly can't do it."

Naru just smirked at me, the damned bastard.

**_Later_**

That night you could find Masako and I in the living room, John in his exorcist robes in front of us. Masako held onto my arm for some strange reason and it took all my will power not to shrug it off and snap at her, but the look on her face was enough reason to let her touch me.

John took his cross and holy water out as he started his prayers. _Here we go again._

Masako gripped my arm more firmly and tightly. Before she had just lightly gripped it, now she had her fingers intertwined into my fur and was tugging lightly as if to make sure she had a anchor to reality. "What's with you?" I questioned, not bothering to mention that it stung when she yanked my fur. She probably knew, but couldn't stop herself.

"Cleansings are addressed to the spirit directly to help them with issues they've had in their past lives," Masako explained, looking at me like I could possibly help. "Only a medium can be successful at it. Naru is no medium, so he plans to perform an exorcism."

"What's the difference?" I questioned.

"In a cleansing you try to persuade the spirits to change their ways. In an exorcism the goal is to destroy or kill the spirit outright." she explained.

"Oh." I murmured.

"I wish he wouldn't exorcise her, at least, not in my presence," Masako admitted, and my ears fell. _I guess to her ghosts are like humans…. Could I take watching humans being murdered? I doubt it._

Out of nowhere something grabbing my wrist and yanked me foreword, officially pissing me off. _Seriously, why is it the mutt? Attack Naru for the powers above sake! He can handle it!_

"You okay?" Masako questioned, leaning forward to grab hold of me once again but not quite touching me.

"I'm fine." I snapped in turn.

Mist started to form, signaling the swift change in temperature. Voices within the well started up. John restarted his prayers. White ribbons started to appear out of the well. I started snarling once again.

"Ms. Hara, how about now?" Naru demanded, obviously not bothered by her current condition.

"They're attempting to escape. They're trying to get out of the living room, and they're crying!" Masako told him, looking around to predict their movements.

"Would this be a bad time to question why you can't clean there asses out now?" I blurted, my ears moving around frantically with my nose sniffing wildly. _Still no damn scent!? You'd think ghosts would smell like rotting flesh or something…_

"Impossible." She told me, making me feel like a bigger dummy then I already was "not as long as the woman spirit is here!" Suddenly, she gasped, and I, being the idiot I was for looking away from the well, twisted around once again to give out a darker growl.

"The hell is wrong with you?" I demanded, wanting to know what I was missing.

"She's coming out!" Masako gasped, and John followed. _'Well, if I'm going down I might as well go down being strange!'_ I threw my head back and howled, and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that for some reason Masako relaxed a little when I howled. _What the!?_

We waited for the ghost, obviously having nothing better to do with our free time then wait for the undead. Masako was suddenly clutching the fur of my arm again and had her head buried in my back, while I tried my hardest not to pry her off of me.

A drop came out of the well and the sound of water dropping rang through the room.

My ears fell back and I stopped growling long enough to say "nice knowing you, morons. We're screwed." Even with all the stress I could feel a small vibration -obviously a chuckle- coming from my back. _Well, it's nice to know that when facing imminent death that I can be amusing to you. Masako is obviously in a stress haze and not remembering that she's clutching the girl she doesn't like._

A shadow came out of the well, hissing "Tomiko…" _we're dead. That's it. I'm going to become a spirit and end up guarding my fur pelt from people like those I'm about to die with._

"Tomiko is not here!" Masako shouted. "These children do not belong to you! Please set them free! Can't you see the pain they're suffering? They just want to return to their real mothers! Let them go!" and the lady answered by sending out ghost arms.

"You're not helping!" I barked (almost literally) at her before moving to four feet and snarling at the hands, more than ready to attack anything that can came near. Masako gripped my middle and rested her head on my black undershirt, obviously not wanted me to leave her alone.

John stood in front of us for protection purposes. He ended up getting pushed across the room by the arms that had once been coming at us.

I ran to John to make sure he was okay, calling his name along the way. _If he dies and I don't I go to prison, and I really don't look good in orange._

"Naru! Just give me another minute! Please! Don't!" Masako begged as Naru started walking towards the ghost.

"Are you nuts!?" I snarled "you're going to get your ass killed!"

He ignored us (of course) "Your child is right here, look," Naru held up a wooden doll. "Take the children you gathered with you, and leave this place!" he yelled, throwing the doll in the air.

The woman kept her gaze on the doll as it went up, and it started glowing. The light turned into a little girl.

The little girl held her arms open to hug her mother, she doing the same thing. When the two touched, the woman started glowing in the same light.

"Look Mai, right there," Masako spoke, voice full of obvious relief and glee. The children from before went from having the same dark glow as the woman, to glowing with the same light that the doll had. Then they all disappeared.

"They're all gone now, they've been cleansed," Masako announced. I stood on all fours and smiled, my muzzle fur tilting upwards. _It's over…_

_And best of all, I'm not a fur rug._

**_And with that, another case was solved._**

**_Day 7_**

"You have no idea how grateful I am for your help," Noriko praised us as she and Ayumi stood side by side in the house. "I just heard from my brother, and he said he'll be returning as soon as he can."

"That's good." I commented.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Noriko asked. "I mean, you're sure you got rid of all the ghosts in the house?"

"There's no need to worry," Naru answered, obviously happy that the job was done.

Monk was just finishing putting the equipment up for me since I can't hold thing real well with my paws. "Last one," he told us as he put the last computer away. "We're set to go!" He closed the back of the van and turned towards the rest of us. John and Masako had already left, leaving Ayako, Monk, Naru, Lin, and myself still in the driveway.

I turned to Naru "what was that doll thing?"

"It was a hitogata," Naru told me, only serving to confuse my smaller I.Q more.

"Huh?"

"It's the original form of the straw ethigy dolls. It's made by carving a piece of paulownia wood into the shape of the person you want to put a spell on," Monk explained for Naru.

"You dummy, that's how you put a curse on someone," Ayako interjected, obviously smug to know something Monk didn't.

"Spell-casting has both a light and a dark side," Naru answered her. "A light spell helps the person, while a dark harms them. Often the casting has a combination of light and dark sides."

"That's right," Monk nodded "It's just like in esoteric Buddhism, where either approach can be used to confound a sworn enemy."

"The hitogata is simply a vessel used to contain a spirit," Naru continued. "For example, let's say I patterned an ethigy doll after Mai-"

"Hey hey hey! Why am I the one you're using!?" I was ignored yet again.

"If I were to damage the hitogata, Mai would be harmed as well. That's how close the ethigy is to the real person." _Isn't that just a lovely thought. If someone decided to drown my doll I'd drown in real life too! Just flippin lovely…_

"So that one was for Tomiko?" I asked, gaining an affirmative.

"I gotta say, I'm impressed you made a successful hitogata that quickly. Is that why you left earlier?" Monk questioned.

"The date of Tomiko's birth and death were necessary for the ethigy to be effective," Naru explained. "The woman was Oshima Hiro, and Tomiko was her only child. The girl had disappeared one day and her body surfaced from the pond about six months later. A couple of years after that, Oshima's house was demolished. The house before us now was built in its place."

"Tomiko," Lin questioned "Do we know if she was kidnapped?" _oh great, bring that up… I'd rather not talk about this. _"Is that why the mother threw herself down the well?"

"There was no mention of a kidnapping," Naru answered, obviously confused as to why such as thing had come up. "The important thing is this house is free of spirits."

Soon Naru climbed into the van with Lin.

"I never would've pegged him as an onmyouji," Monk said is slight admiration.

"Onmyouji?" I questioned "what the hell is that?"

"Fashioning a hitogata after Tomiko and cleansing the mother is pretty complicated," Monk explained. "Only a pro could pull that off."

"It's amazing, isn't it? With how young Naru is," Ayako commented.

"Amazing?"

"Well, it's definitely cool."

"Hmp."

"Hey Mai," I turned to find Ayumi standing behind me.

"what's up?"

"So do you think…" Ayumi started "we'll see each other again?"

I sank down to her level "you wanna know something someone told me once?"

"What?"

"Everyone knows everyone else. This whole world is connected to everyone else by the string of fate as it decides who to pull together. You may not know people you see, but a friend's friend's uncle's sister's nephew might. The string of fate decided to bring us together, and I think it'll yank us together more and more. I'll come visit as soon as I can."

"Ah, you promise?" Ayumi happily asked as she held her pinky out to me. I placed a paw over it.

"Promise." I smiled and walked away to the van. Time for me to move on once again.

**I'm finally done with the doll house! I have no real explaination of why I haven't done it sooner other than I was just too lazy! Review! I hope you like how I changed Mai for the fanfic! Well, I guess if you didn't you wouldn't be reading this far anyway!**


	7. The After School Hexer part 1

**Here's the next chapter! We've finally got past Minnie to the school! REVIEW! It's November, so Mai's going to be in the last stages of getting her winter coat in! And Naru's revealing her face to a certain teacher and student duo at school. Will Mai kick his ass? Probably. She'll at least claw his face off.**

**_November_**

**_Sunday_**

_She came to see us on a Sunday in November… which sucks because that's usually the day I get off, but of course some person has to go and make me stay… that and the fact I happen to by shedding for my winter coat wasn't making me feel any better, or less itchy._

I managed to get her some tea (I only broke two cups this time. A new record!) And set it in front of her, my sleeve covering the paw underneath, making it even harder to do so. "Here." I'd recently purchased some new sweatshirts, and I'd just gotten this brand new blue one I'm starting to really like. I just hope I don't have to tear it to shreds like my last one.

"Thanks a lot," she answered, looking more than a little jumpy. _Hey, do you think she'd do that thing from Tom and Jerry where they cling to the ceiling by their claws if I bark? That'd be funny as hell._

"So you're saying," Naru started "your friend has been acting strangely ever since using an Ouija board at school." _I never understood Ouija boarding. I mean, what's the fun in this? "Hey guys, let's summon the undead and talk to them. Oh, there's a small chance of possession as well as the fact we kinda broke into the school to do this, but it'll be fun!" no thanks. I jumped ship on that fad._

"Yeah. She'd jump up onto her desk in the middle of class, and in gym she was eating sand from the sandbox." I let out a disgusted noise. Dogs can eat literally almost everything and anything out there but you wouldn't see me eating sand. "I know it sounds crazy, but I really think she might be possessed by a fox. Can you help her?"

Naru sat there for a second before replying. "You should take your friend to the hospital," he stood up and started walking out "Your friend needs a doctor."

"yo! Sir Ass!" my favorite nickname for him "gets out here and help this chick!" I was ignored, as per usual.

**_Later_**

Naru and I's game of 'who can spit the most insults at each other' was interrupted by Monk in a… cowboy outfit? _Oh god, he's making it way to easy to rip him a new one. I can't, won't critique this one. At least, I won't in my mind._

"Hey Naru, what's up!" he shouted on the way in.

"Why the hell do you look like you hitched a ride into the wild west and came back insane?" well, crazier than usual actually.

Ignoring me, Monk went right in and sat down on the couch as if he owned the place. "Man, let me tell you, coming to Shibuya on a Sunday is crazy!" he took off his hat. "Mai, be a sweetheart and get me an iced coffee."

"Get it yourself! Paws, moron. I can't tell you how much money is taken from my paycheck thanks to broken glass." I gesture at his ugly ass outfit "what is _that_?"

"What, the outfit?"

"What else would I be asking you about!?"

He took his ugly sunglasses off. "I had a live show today. I gotta admit, I love being in front of a crowd. Playing in basement studios isn't nearly as exciting."

"So not only are you a cheap Monk, you're also a rock band dude?"

He laughed. Lately, I've noticed that they're starting to take my insults in stride as part of my personality and instead focus on the main part of what I'm saying. And it's starting to really piss me off. "I play bass." He told me.

"I thought you lived on a mountain as a Monk. How does band nerd fit into this? Are you cheap as well as part-time?"

"Kinda. The temple belongs to my family and my dad really wanted me to be a monk, but when I couldn't bring CDs and stuff up there I had to make a choice. Ya know, I see a lot of curses in rock-and-roll. More than you'd imagine. So whenever something happens and an exorcism is needed, they call me since I'm already in the biz." Monk explained "see?"

"I get it. You left the temple- a place of peace and god- to work for people who like to do drugs and fall out of business around the age of 40. Excuse my minor disgust at the lack of thought in your choice."

Naru sighed, "How about you fill us in on what business you have here today."

"Oh. Yeah, right. There really was a point for my coming here, promise. I was hoping you'd let me pick your brain a little." Then Monk started explaining "There's a local high school girl who follows our band. After our last gig she struck up a conversation with me. She asked me, 'Is it true that you do exorcisms?' to break the ice." _How does that break the ice? If it were me it'd cause a blizzard._

"So after some initial fan-girl chatting, she started telling me about a certain desk at her school. It's apparently cursed. Every single person who's sat there in the last three months has been involved in an accident, and not just that, but the same type of accident. They've all gotten their arms caught in the door of a train, and then been dragged by it. A total of four people have sat in that seat since September, and all of them have fallen victim. One had only minor injuries, but the rest were seriously hurt."

"The teacher of that class was also affected. He went on and on about seeing ghosts, and then ended up in the hospital. He keeps coughing up blood but they can't figure out what's wrong." Ow, that would suck. "There's all sorts of stories about strange incidents happening at that school. I've even heard they think someone there is possessed."

I sighed, disgusted at my boss and the fact I was starting to understand what he was talking about. I really had been around these morons way to long. "Let me guess. Yausa high school?"

"That's right," Monk glanced at me. "How'd you know?"

I gestured with my paw at Naru "his majesty's already gotten three case reports from there."

The door opened, revealing a man in a suit. "Hello," he stepped in "I hope I'm not intruding."

I quickly hid my paws and face "you did and are. What'da want?"

"Well you see," he ignored my first sentence, reaching into his coat and pulling out a card "I'm hoping you can help me." I took the card from his hands and read it.

_Noboru Mikami, Principal. Yuasa Private High School._

_I sighed, whipped around, and grumbled "this school will never leave us alone!"_

_And to think I actually made plans for things to do today. The one day I act like I have a life, it totally fails. Karma hates me._

**_Monday_**

Monk and I watched as Lin and Naru drove up to the front of the school. For the first time in my life, I really hate my sweatshirt. With my shedding, it makes it impossible to scratch.

"We're grateful for your time," the principal told us as we sat in his office. "Mr. Yoshino is our guidance counselor. He'll give you a full tour of the school." The principal gestured to a man standing next to him, who was looking distastefully at me scratching my cloaked head with my covered arm. _ If you make a comment, I will not be held responsible for my actions._

Shedding has and always will be a very embarrassing thing for me. I mean, come'on. I'm losing hair like a balding old man but instead of staying bald even thicker hair (or, in spring, thinner) is coming back in. there's also the fact my winter coat is way fluffier than my spring coat, making it harder for me to hide it. That and it also reaffirms the fact I'm a dog to me. I know I'm a mutt, but I can usually put the fact in the back of my mind. But with this, it reminds me that the only difference between me and slobbering hound that sits in the mud all day is the fact I speak fluent English. And there's also the fact I itch like hell because of the clinging hair.

Basically, I'm a hell of a lot crankier during this time than I normally am, and that's saying something.

"Hi there. It's nice to meet you," Yoshino greeted.

"As you requested, a conference room has been cleared out for you to set up in," the principal told us. "We announced that anyone who wants to speak with you should go there." I almost fell over laughing. _Can you imagine hearing that on the speakers? 'A ghost hunting group will be here on such and such a time and date. Please be courteous to them and talk to them about your problems if you have any.' _

We left the principal's office and walked into the conference room. "This is home base?"

"We should get the equipment set up right away," Naru ordered. "Lin?"

"Right," Lin answered, unsurprisingly.

"Um, excuse me," Mr. Yoshino looked at Monk "are you the one who's in charge here?"

"No sir, you want him," Monk pointed to Naru. Mr. Yoshino looked over to Naru in surprise. _Why would you think Monk is the leader? Sure he's taller and older, but he's obviously a lot less mature than Naru himself. Then again, he's in a room with a tall Chinese man who sounds and acts robotic, a person who's covered up completely so he probably doesn't even know my gender, a rock bander/monk, and Naru. I don't know who'd I suspect would be leader, but I doubt it'd be Naru._

Naru faced Mr. Yoshino. "What's wrong?" _You sound as uncaring as usual. Damn, are you part robot like Lin? Blech, my insults are definitely off today. Cut me some slack, even I have my bad days._

"Well, I…" Mr. Yoshino seemed even more nervous, probably because he was surrounded by strangers and talking about something personal. "Before the students come in, I'd like to tell you about something." _Oh great, our first report and I haven't even sat down yet._

"Yes, of course. Have a seat please." He walked over to the table with Lin trailing close behind, as per usual. He was practically Naru's shadow.

"You see, um," Mr. Yoshino began, "at night, I've been hearing this… knocking sound. It wouldn't stop, so finally I got up and went to open the curtain. All that was there was a thin, white, feminine hand, knocking on the window."

Well, I live in the bad side of town, so at least my barks and howls would be drowned out by the traffic noise. He wouldn't be so lucky.

"Since then, I've barely gotten a wink of sleep." Mr. Yoshino concluded. _Can't really blame him on that one. Yes, you heard right, even I have a line._

"Has anyone else in your house heard the knocking?"

"Yes, but it doesn't seem to bother them as it does me." _Well, that is either a good thing or a bad thing. I really don't know which._

"… I see." _Man, you make him sound crazy, you might as well say 'you need to be put in a padded room' asshole._

Shortly after, Mr. Yoshino left. Can't really blame him. I'd follow his example and leave Naru behind to, if it wasn't for the fact he pays me.

**_Later_**

As three o'clock rolled around, people started coming in, leaving me very uncomfortable about my hood.

"Your name was Kiyomi, Kiyomi Ito?" Naru asked.

"Yes," it was the girl from earlier. _Man, you've got guts girl. I'd have stayed far away from him if it was me. _

"When you came to see us, I believe you said you thought your friend was possessed by a fox. Is she here?" _why would she be here?_

"No sir, she's at home." _What's with the 'sir' thing? He's not much older than you._

"And you also said that she was jumping up on desks and eating sand?"

"There's other stuff, too. One time she dove into the pool with her uniform on. It was like, 40 degrees that day." Kiyomi told us. _Well, I'd do it, but I'm getting a winter coat in, so I'd be toasty anyway._

"Has your friend ever hurt anybody_?" if she'd hurt anyone the police would have taken her away, sir dumbass._

"Oh no sir."

"When she started acting strangely, why did you believe she might be possessed by a fox? Why didn't you think she just might be sick?"

"Because… she actually said 'I am the white fox of the harvest god'. It all happened after that darn Ouija board. When everyone was leaving, she told us she thought she was possessed. I told her there was no way, but she said she felt really weird and that her shoulders felt heavy. And then the next day she started acting differently." _Well, I really hope I don't meet her then. Dogs and foxes don't get along very well after all._

"Where were you using the Ouija board?" he asked.

"Classroom one dash three."

"You used paper, and what else? A glass, or a goblet? Anything like that?" why would someone use those anyway?

"No, we wrote down the characters on the paper with a pencil. Nothing went wrong as far as we could tell. The spirit didn't stay and we didn't make fun of it or anything…" _who in their right mind makes fun of a spirit anyway!? Oh, right, these idiots who like to play with charms and funny sayings..._

_I will never understand S.P.R's motives._

Kiyomi left and another girl came by who wore the school's track suit instead of her uniform.

"Look, the track team's locker room is really creepy. The lockers just fall over by themselves and our equipment will move around. At first we thought someone was just playing a joke so some of us hid to try and catch them in the act. No one knows how it happened exactly but suddenly the shot putt balls we put in a box were lined up in the middle of the floor."

The track team girl left and soon another girl in her uniform with shaggy hair came.

"Last month some friends and I did a test of courage in the storage room in the gym and I've been seeing a bunch of these weird shadows ever since. It's a rope on the wall, and it's shaped like a noose... One of the other girls even swears she's seen ghosts coming out of her desk, so…" _we're never going to get a break at this rate._

"During class?" Naru asked.

"Yeah. Um, she said it was like she all of a sudden couldn't move, and it felt like someone was touching her stomach. And when she looked down to see, a hand would be stretched out, massaging her stomach." _Oh great, a perverted ghost_. "She said it happens all the time, and her stomach just wouldn't stop hurting. She ended up having to go to the hospital."

Later on someone knocked on the door. The first person to knock all flippin day instead of just barging in. "Is anybody in here?" a girl said, peeking her head inside. She spotted Monk. "Norio! Oh my gosh you really came!"

"Hey," Monk greeted. "Meet my friends. That handsome devil is Mr. Shibuya, the director of Shibuya Psychic Research, and his assistant, Miss Taniyama. Don't worry, she always looks like that." _nice to know I have to be excused for wearing my hoodie._

"I'm the weird one." I commented. _Well, weird compared the others I guess. Depends on your point of view._

"HI! My name is Yuuko Takahashi. Nice to meet you," the girl greeted. She's way too cheery for my tastes.

I ignored him and turned to Monk "what the hell is a 'Norio'?"

"That's what they decided to call me in the band. See, my real name is Houshou, right? So we thought-" _oh great, I set him off into story mode._

"Getting back to the point," Naru interrupted, "I'm guessing that your one of victims. Were you involved in an accident after sitting at a certain desk?"

"Uh, yes," said the girl who followed Yuuko in. "I was the second one it happened to. The train arrived at my stop, and when the doors opened I stepped out and started to walk away like normal. And it was like someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back and I got caught. I wasn't dragged very far but my shoulder was dislocated and my legs looked pretty bad. I only got my cast off last week, actually."

"Was there anyone standing near the door?"

"Mm-mm, no one. In fact I remember the train was pretty much empty. Just a few people were there."

"Do you have any idea of what the connection is between that desk and these accidents?"

"I don't do you?" she looked at Yuuko in question.

"No," Yuuko replied.

"I'd really like to see this desk," Naru told them. I scratched my ear insistently with my sleeve, _damn shedding._

"Oh sure, I can take you to it," Yuuko raised her hand, then led us away to room 2-5. I only went with them because I wanted to get away from all the people that kept coming and going through the base.

"It's back there."

We walked over and Naru put his hand on the desk. "Does anyone sit here now?"

"No one wants to, and the girl that was sitting here got hurt so badly she's still in the hospital," Yuuko informed him.

"And the desk has always been in this position?" _why would someone move it in the first place?_

"Uh huh. Just like that." _see my point exactly. Oh god, I'm starting to agree with this girl._

"I heard that something strange happened to your teacher, correct?" Naru asked.

"Ah, yeah, he kept saying he was seeing ghosts in the classroom. Even with him in the hospital he claims they're in his room. It's like he has neurosis," Yuuko paused for a moment. "The really weird thing was that he really didn't believe in that stuff before."

_Man, this place is nuts. _

**_Tuesday_**

We ended up calling in John Brown, an American priest, Ayako Matsuzaki, an old bitchy shrine maiden, and Masako Hara, psychic medium as well as my resident pain in the ass, to help.

"With this many occurrences, I think we need to move quickly," Naru said as he gathered us all together, me in the _way_ back. "I propose we exorcise anything we come across. If that doesn't work, we'll come back together and try something else."

"I'd like Miss Hara to take a look around the school," Naru continued "You should start with the desk, and then when you're done head over to the track team's locker room."

Masako giggled "Please, I'd be more comfortable if you'd just call me Masako."

I gagged from behind my hood. There's cameras everywhere, and I wasn't about to let them see my even shaggier-than-usual fur. "Would you mind not flirting with this ass in my presence? I like keeping my gag reflex down." I was ignored, as per usual. _Man, these people are totally immune to me! Now what do I do to keep myself entertained!?_

"Join her, Ms. Matsuzaki. Exorcise anything you see fit."

"Hold on," Ayako interrupted. "Are you sure there's nothing else you'd like to say to Masako? I ask because it seems to me that lately you've been extra courteous to our celebrity friend."

"We can stand around all day chit-chatting about things that don't matter, but I'd much prefer to see you in action," Naru replied. "Wouldn't you rather get to work and impress us than waste everyone else's time?"

I clapped my paws together under my sweatshirt "go boss!"

Ayako shut up after that.

"Due to the number of cases we don't have enough equipment to send with you, so you'll have to rely on your own instinct. Monk and John, same goes for you." he finished.

"Got it," Monk voiced.

"Sure thing, no worries," John replied happily.

"Lin and I will continue the investigation. Mai, wait here for everyone to report back," Naru ordered me.

I sighed "well, it's better than being ghost fodder."

"Alright, let's begin."

And with that, they were off, leaving me to pitifully scratch my body due to my damned shedding.

_Man, why am I always the one stuck dealing with this shit!?_

I was ripped from my thoughts by the base door opening. Yuuko the cloud of opposing sunshine waltzed in, making me thankful that I kept my hood up when I was in a strange area. I did not want to explain why I look like a mutated ball of falling apart hair to someone I just met.

"Yo." I greeted.

"I just thought Norio might be in here." Yuuko explained to me as she sat down in the chair in front of me. "So, what're you doing? Are you busy?"

I raised an eyebrow from under my hood "do I look busy to you?"

"Ah, so, Taniyama, right?"

I groaned "do I look like a hobbling old lady to you? Actually, don't answer that. Call me Mai."

Then call me Taka!" she replied cheerfully.

"Cool. Everyone's off doing their thing, leaving the mu- I mean leaving me behind to sit around and nap."

"Oh, I see," Taka nodded. "So, how's the exorcism going?"

"With the rate we're going, I except we'll be done by Christmas. There's way to much shit for us to get done."

"Yeah, I know! It really makes you wonder what's going on at this school. Curses and ghosts and supernatural powers? I'm like, where's the UFO, ya know?"

_"What, supernatural powers? When did we invite vampires to this shindig?" I stood up. We'd spent the entire damned day listening to people complain, but nothing about supernatural powers came up. The news would have been even more usual earlier._

Taka blinked up at me in surprise. Well, I doubt she would have understood the logic anyway.

"Did you say, 'Kasai Panic'?" Naru questioned when he and Lin got back.

"Yeah, there's this third-year girl named Chiaki Kasai who could bend a spoon with just the power of her mind," Taka confirmed. "It was just after summer vacation. Suddenly everyone at school knew her name, and bending spoons and other supernatural stuff became a really big deal. The school was divided over the whole thing. Some people believe in it while others didn't.

"Then one day, Kasai was called up in front of everyone during morning assembly. 'If you really have powers, prove it by bending this right here and now. You can't, can you?' or something like that was said. Kasai snatched the key right up and…. Well…."

"She taught those bastards a lesson?" I finished with a smirk. I love it when snobs are put in their place.

Taka nodded. "After that, things got really bad. A group of teachers started to attack her creditability. They said something along the lines of, 'This is obviously a trick! You're just making fools of us!' I guess that sent Kasai over the edge, because then she yelled back at them, "I'll curse you to death!'. And after that, all of these crazy things started happening around the school, like with the desk and the track locker room.

"People started getting frightened. They were saying it had to be because of Kasai's curse. I'm pretty sure that's why she hasn't been coming to class lately. When she's in school she usually hiding out in the biology prep room. I don't blame her…" _me neither._

Soon enough, Naru and I were off the biology prep room to see Chiaki Kasai. Why I took me along I have no clue. Maybe because I can be used as a defense? I'm the attack hound I guess.

Naru knocked on the door. "Yes?" someone called back.

Naru took that as a cue to open the door. "Excuse me. we're looking for a Miss Chiaki Kasai."

As we entered, a girl with long hair turned away from us in her seat. "May I ask what this is regarding?"

"I'm here investigating with Shibuya Psychic Research, and I would very much like to speak with Miss Kasai," _wow, so you can be polite! This day is going in the record books._

The teacher stood up to greet Naru. "Oh, right, um. What was your name?"

"My name is Kazuya Shibuya," Naru answered her.

"Ah, yes, the principal said there was going to be some people coming to investigate all the strange things happening around the school. It's so good to meet you both. Please, come in, my name is Kei Ubusuna and I teach biology here," the teacher smiled.

"Ubusuna? That's quite an unusual name you have," Naru commented. _Really, don't piss her off now, you we're achieving a new record for politeness!_

"So you're looking for Kasai? I'm guessing you'd like to ask her about the incident this past September?"

"Leave me alone! I have nothing to say," the girl in the chair yelled.

"Kasai, I think you should clear up any confusion and tell these people exactly what happened," Ms. Ubusuna said as she walked up to the girl.

"Why should I? So they can call me a liar too?" Kasai retorted.

"But they investigate psychic phenomenon all the time. So they're not going to immediately reject or laugh at the things you say," the teacher reassured Kasai.

After a moment, Kasai turned back over and faced us. "Okay. So, what do you wanna know?"

"I've heard some very interesting stories about you. Stories that connect you to these events, that you have powers. The kind of powers that bend spoons and keys at will," Naru began.

"Those aren't just stories, they're the truth. I can bend them, but I don't expect you to believe me," Kasai said nonchalantly.

"Why wouldn't I? You're not the only one who can bend a spoon, you know," Naru replied.

You could hear me mutter under my breath "here we go again. Is there any way to figure out what this guy is thinking!?"

"Can you?" Kasai asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"I can," Naru confirmed, "but even if I couldn't, any psychic researcher would believe in PK."

Scoffing, she stood and said, "Then show me." And handed him a spoon.

".. I guess I have no choice," Naru said, taking the spoon and twiddling it so the head faced up. He brought it up to his face and stared at it a few seconds. He rested the handle between the parts of his palm that folded against itself from how he held his fingers. After a moment, he brought his other hand up, put his finger against the head, and bent it.

The head of the spoon hit the ground with a click.

She took the two spoon pieces and held them enclosed in her hands then, when she put her hands away, the spoon was back together.

_Holy hell. _

**_Later_**

"Over summer vacation I was watching one of those late-night shows, ya know? This one was about spoon bending," Kasai explained to us. "So I got a spoon and started trying it myself, and eventually I learned to do it. I can't break them like you, though."

"That was it the summer? But you can still do it, right?" Naru asked.

Kasai become upset "Of course!" she violently grabbing another spoon out of the cup.

Kasai held her spoon very differently than how Naru did. She pinched two fingers at the neck and lightly held it at the bottom with her other hand. She stared at it, her fingers pinching harder at the neck, her eyes squinting. Then, she started to bend over.

_What is she doing!?_

She completely bended over in her seat, her head at her knees. _What is wrong with her?_

"Stop! Right now!" Naru commanded, grabbing her shoulder. Kasai sat straight up. "You were about to bend the spoon using the edge of the chair, weren't you? You do realize that if anyone caught you doing that trick they'd never believe you again."

"You're lying. I really can bend a spoon!" Kasai yelled.

Naru was quick to respond "Any researcher knows that psychic abilities can be affected by outside sources and are therefore unstable. When you can't do something, it's okay to admit defeat. The people who will call you a fake never believed in you anyway, so don't worry about what they think."

"That's easy for you to say, but you don't have to deal with how mean people can be if you _can't_ do it. Ms. Kei was treated horribly by the other teachers just because she had the nerve to defend me," Kasai said.

Ms. Ubusuna went over and held her shoulders. "Oh, don't worry about me. Please. It's been incredibly difficult to watch. I felt so bad for how they were acting towards her."

"Then everyone in the biology club quit, saying we must be doing something crazy or evil. I don't understand why this is happening to me," Kasai sobbed into her hands"Is that why you 'cursed' them?" Naru asked.

Kasai brought her face out of her hands in surprise, staring straight at Naru. "Well, yeah, I said that but come on! It's not like I could really do it, could I?" She looked over her shoulder at Ms. Ubusuna. "Right?" no answer.

Naru then decided to put me on the spot. "There are worse things out there."

"Yeah!?" Kasai shouted, standing up "like what!?" _oh great, you don't need to be a genius to see where this is going. Now I can see why I was brought along._

Naru doesn't even look at me, doesn't even bother to change his tone of voice. "Mai, show them your face."

"Hell no! You're not paying me to be some freak show! You're paying me to sit around and make your ego bigger."

"Show them."

"Take a long walk off a short pier!"

"Show us what?" Kasai had long calmed down, and was now watching our argument in interest.

Before I could even move, Naru did something I was sure as hell going to make him regret later. He grabbed my hood and with one nimble move yanked it off, showing my dog face to everyone in the room and effectively pissing my off, so I did what anyone pissed off cursed person who happens to be shedding would do.

I punched him in the eye, claws first.

His head snapped back, and his hand quickly covered the wound as I spat at him "you ass!" I whipped around and glared at the two who were now staring at me, just asking them to say something.

I yanked my hood up, and damned be the consequences, walked out the door.

**_Later_**

Naru and I walked back to base after that, leaving Kasai and Ms. Ubusuna in the biology prep room. Naru was almost running to keep up with me, his eye not only swollen but also had a claw mark across it. He was lucky makeup could cover the damned thing. As far as I was concerned, he should lose that eye after the stunt he'd pulled.

"Be glad you weren't on my better side" I growled at him "you would have lost that eye, and as far as I'm concerned, you deserve it."

Naru gave no response, unsurprisingly. I'd just injured his face and his pride, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't even tell anyone what'd happened.

Naru reached out to the grab the handle. "Mai. I need to ask a favor of you."

"After the stunt you just pulled!? Are you that desperate?"

"I'd appreciate it if you'd keep the spoon-bending thing a secret from the others. Especially Lin," Naru explained.

I sighed "not my thing to tell anyway. It's your thing, not mine."

"… Thank you," Naru muttered. _Wow… I didn't think he even knew those two words could be used in the same sentence!_

I raised an eyebrow "are you getting sick or something? Because I am so not taking care of your ass if you are." Suddenly, I heard Monk shout.

"But that can't be true!" we walked into the base, me still steaming and Naru with a swollen eye, but no one noticed. They were too busy fighting.

"Well, it is. I'm telling you there are no spirits here. I've looked all over and if there were, I would know by now," Masako responded.

"Come on, there at least has to be something in that desk. And don't forget about the four accidents in a row!" Monk got in Masako's face.

"There is some kind of deception going on at this school," Masako retorted.

"Oh, and I guess all of the students and teachers are in on it! You gotta be kidding me!" Monk answered, obviously pissed.

"Relax mate," John tried to defuse the situation.

"If you're going to kill each other, can you at least do it outside so the blood won't stain?" unsurprisingly, I was ignored.

"You know, Masako's theory may not be accurate," Ayako silently challenged the medium.

"Well, I'm certain it's more accurate than yours, Ms. Matsuzaki," Masako answered, obviously accepting the challenge.

"In fact, Ms. Matsuzaki, I wonder if anything you've said has ever been accurate," Masako finished.

"Why don't I just go get a shotgun to finish this up? It'd be a hell of a lot less messy."

"Well you may be able to see 'em but can you exorcise them?" Ayako hissed back.

Naru walked over to Lin. "Lin, let's get back to work."

"Of course."

"Hey, whaddya say we go take another look around?" Monk asked John.

"I'm right behind ya."

"You may want to look closely this time," Ayako snuffed at Masako, knowing they'd be stuck toether.

"It won't matter. I'll still be right," Masako retorted.

I ended up alone in the base, where I let a loud yawn out. Hell, I'd had my secret spilled to two strangers, witnessed a verbal massacre, and delt with Miss Sunshine twice today. I deserved a nap, and Naru needs to suck up to me after what he did if he ever wanted his damn tea again.

I crossed my paws under me and sat my head on them, curling my feet under me in an upwards version of a sleeping dog. Well, it was the best I could do without curling up on the floor, and I really didn't feel like getting stepped on, something I was sure Lin might do just to spite my ass.

I let my ears fall back and fell asleep almost immediately.

**_Dream_**

I was walking through a place filled with blobs. Kind of like the ones I was fighting off with the last case, but they didn't really seem interested in me. I was walking around basically naked (thank god for fur, even if it was shedding) something I concluded was a definite change from the usual. I walked on all fours, more or less because that if someone somehow managed to see me (how, I have no clue) I would look like a stray instead of a werewolf.

Suddenly, I was at the school, but it looked really weird. Naru-look-alike was standing next to me, his eye was not busted up like Naru's, so it was obvious it wasn't him.

He looked at me and said "foxfires."

_Oh great. I'm screwed._

_Why can't karma leave the mutt alone?_

**_Ariana Taniyama_****_= it was my favorite line to write!_**

**_SS_****_= I'm thinking that in the couples episode Ayako might have a charm that will make Mai look like her human self for a day, and how the others will react when they see human Mai._**

**Sorry I didn't start answering people's reviews before now! I will start doing it after this chapter!**


	8. The After School Hexer part 2

**Dancing Fingers= ****I'm not sure if Naru will help her with her curse yet… hell, I don't even know what to use to break the thing! Got any suggestions? They'd be appreciated, from anyone who wanted to give me suggestions about Mai's curse. I'm thinking it'll be along the 'beauty and the beast' line (hence the name being the 'the beast and the narcissist') and that someone will have to look past her sarcasm and fur and fall for her. I'm just not sure who yet! Maybe I should set a poll up… I don't want this to end up your stereotypical MaixNaru drama (love the pairing, but it's just waay to common on the site. We need to mix things up a little!), that and I don't think Mutt-Mai (as some of my reviewers have taken to calling her) would fall for a guy like Naru.**

**WhisperToTheWolves****= I've always wanted to write a fanfic where Mai just let loose and hit Naru, so I really loved this chapter too! And I can't wait to write the one where Mai becomes human for a day! It'll be interesting. And I'm thinking that in the Urado case, since there's going to be so many people there, Naru will try to be nice and send ahead that they have a dog-person with them, so Mai won't have to wear her hood. The people will completely misunderstand, and think they have an ****_actual_**** dog with them. Monk buys a collar and leash before Naru can fix it and Mai will be stuck acting like a dog (and boy, will she be ****_pissed_****. –Evil smile-)**

**AlphaWolf45****= yeah, that was a mess up on my part. She speaks Japanese, not English. Sorry for the confusion!**

**Ariana Taniyama= hahahahaha. Love the image! But they haven't seen her shedding yet. She's been making sure they don't see it. And I can see Mai grabbing the brush and throwing it out the window! Or scaring the shit out of the groomer.**

**…**

**_December_**

**_Wednesday_**

**_Mai's P.O.V_**

I was sitting around, pondering what the hell I could possibly do to help with something like a foxfire without getting my fur burned off.

Suddenly a scent hit my nose. Normally, I wouldn't have really bothered looking around, since I was used to smelling weird things in public areas, but that wasn't a strange smell. It was Kasai.

I looked up, and noticed that she was spying on me from the door. _Oh great, not only do I look weird, but now I'm an attraction to stare at._

She noticed I had noticed, and quickly went to walk down the hallway. Knowing that she'd just keep coming back until she got her answers, I ran over to the door "yo! Kasai!"

"Yeah?"

"You want anything or what?" I asked.

"No thanks," Kasai answered.

"Alright, suit yourself." I turn back around, more than ready to go take another nap.

"Are all those other people friends of yours?" Kasai finally questioned me. "It looks like they're trying to do some sort of exorcism."

"Oh, the morons of S.P.R? Depends on what you consider friends to be. They constantly drag me into danger, but, at the same time, I'm getting paid. So... I guess that would count as an ironic yes."

"And Masako Hara?"

I snorted "she'd skin herself before we'd become friends. I'm guessing you saw her on her TV show?"

"Yeah, I saw her on TV." she answered. "What has she said about this school? That there are a lot of evil spirits hanging around?"

"Nope. She thinks the place is clean."

Kasai whipped around to face me. "Even with all the stuff happening here?"

I shrugged "you asking the wrong person. I have no clue about this stuff."

"So what about you? Are you able to see them?"

"The day I see them is the day I cross over. I'm about as spiritual as a brick wall."

"What about Mr. Shibuya, he's a spiritualist, right?" _alright, this girl would make a great cop if she's always this through with her investigations._

"I don't think so. The others say he might be an onmyouji if that helps."

"Is he really? So that would mean he _does_ practice onmiyoudo…"

"Again, you're asking the wrong person."

"Hey Kasai," Taka greeted as she walked up to us.

"Takahashi," Kasai answered.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "I thought you were following Monk around."

Taka nodded. "Well, yeah, but it didn't seem right to leave Kasai to walk home by herself. So, if you don't mind, I'll walk you home. It's getting dangerous for you, and I'm getting concerned for your safety, so I'd thought it'd be better to leave a bit earlier than most of the girls, since a lot of them have clubs or cleaning duties."

"What help will you do?" Kasai snapped. "It's not like I haven't walked home alone before."

"You used to walk home with your friends all the time, Kasai. So, if it's okay, I want to be your friend, too. It seems that Mai already befriended you, so why not me?" Taka answered, effectively shutting both of us up. _Friends? When the hell had that happened?_

"…I guess." Kasai mumbled.

"Great! I'll go wait at the gate, if you don't mind, so you can finish up here with Mai!" Taka beamed before walking away.

"Well, looks like little miss sunshine taken a gleam to you." I commented.

I smelled Naru and Lin coming around the corner, and said "Naru."

Kasai, noticing that they were coming, quickly took off, leaving me stand there like a moron.

**_Later_**

Ayako sipped the tea she had (that I'd forced her to make herself). "I thought there was something fishy about that girl. You're saying she came in here to check us all out, right?"

After explaining what had happened (and leaving out Taka's belief that Kasai and I were friends, to save my own pride) I was now forced to defend her, since she couldn't really do it herself "she's curious. What did you expect? She doesn't know any of us and were the ones who are trying to get rid of whatever's going on around here."

"Well, Kasai _is_ aware that the whole school thinks her curse is the cause of all this," Monk put in. "Maybe she thinks we believe it too and we're her latest enemy, you know."

"I doubt it. If she thought that she wouldn't have talked to me head-on."

"Still, she does have powers," John brought in from across the room. "According to a number of her schoolmates, she was apparently able to bend spoons with her mind. Do you think it's possible she also possesses PK-LT?"

I sighed, frustrated at how little I knew about my job "mine explaining to the mutt what that is?" everyone turned to stare at me, either from the fact they'd forgotten how little I knew or because I called myself a mutt. Take your pick.

"I'll explain it for Mai's sake." Naru finally said, leading me to let off a soft annoyed growl. "PK-LT is the power to affect living creatures using only a force of will.

"The two major divisions of supernatural ability are PK and ESP, or extra-sensory perception. This is a special ability to know things that normal people wouldn't sense. Telepathy and clairvoyance are in this category."

"PK, however, is a force of will. Moving objects by literally thinking them into action. The three categories are PK-MT, PK-ST, and last but not least PK-LT."

"Look, I wanted an answer, not a lecture" he plowed on, not bothering to even listen to me.

"PK-ST is the power to affect static targets. Spoon bending would fall here. PK-MT is the power to affect moving targets. And PK-LT, as I've said, is the power to affect living targets."

"So you think Kasai can do that?" Naru gave me a look that basically said 'I give up' let the discussion be picked up by John.

"Are we in agreement then that Kasai really did invoke a curse on the school?"

"A curse?" my face tilted into a smile to keep back a laugh. Even if Kasai could do that she doesn't have the guts to even think about doing something like that. They couldn't possibly believe she would?

"She admitted it," Ayako responded. "She said, 'I'll curse you to death."

"But it's not really a curse. It's more like using psychic powers to make people suffer. That's the PK-LT part," Monk told us. "But judging from what I've heard from a number of students, I don't think the girl has that much power. Do you guys know about the famous British psychic Oliver Davis? They say he can slam a one-hundred-and-ten pound aluminum block into the wall, but he hasn't been able to perform PK-LT."

"This girl can't even seem to bend spoons very well," Ayako agreed, or as close to as she ever had agreed with any of us. "I remember when I was little there was sort of this supernatural craze where a bunch of kids claimed they could bend spoons and perform magic. Of course, it turned out most of them were just lying."

"Wow," Monk turned to the priestess. "That means you must be pretty old." Monk was hit on the head, and I was gripping the chair so as to not fall over as I laughed my ass off.

John decided to cut in. "Uri Geller started spoon bending. Uri Geller is the best psychic of the century...his supernatural powers were shown to the public. He had PK, clairvoyance, and prediction abilities similar to that of a prophet. He made the impossible possible. Geller was everywhere when it came to spoon bending. All the children saw him do it too."

"You mean the Gellerini?" I finally asked after gaining control of myself.

"Yes, that's right. But the Gellerini had unstable powers. When they lost their powers, they would rely on magic tricks. Some of them were exposed as cheaters," John answered. I nodded to show I was listening.

"Because of that, some people began to doubt Geller's ability." John continued.

"They doubted him?"

"Yeah. At that time, America's Society of Psychical Research had publicly announced that Uri Geller was a fake. That incident left such a strong impression on people that everyone now believes spoon bending is fake."

I tiled my ears to the side. "What do you think? Do you think he was real?" _might as well get a 'professionals' opinion._

"Not really... It's just, he was too showy. At any rate, they were just illusions that garnered more attention than they deserved." He answered me.

"Cool. I got it."

Monk leaned in to put his point up for debate. "I think Geller was a fake too."

"Seriously? I'm getting the feeling no one believed he was real."

"Hmm. Psychic ability...if it's the ability of sensing hidden things, hearing noises, or seeing things, then that's the ability to sense things that shouldn't be there. Geller was well-received at first, but he was later in a bind. He could do everything, but there was still something strange about him. There is ESP and PK, right? ESP has its two main branches, telepathy and clairvoyance, and PK has PK-ST, PK-MT, and PK-LT. Sometimes there's a mix, but often you either fall in one or the other. For example, Edgar Cayce Jean Dickson is an amazing clairvoyant, but I've never heard of him bending a spoon before. Likewise, Nina Kulagina has strong PK powers, but I've never heard of her having ESP. Only Kulagina and Davis have that kind of PK power." He explained.

"That's right," John agreed. "But for Uri Geller, assuming his PK was the best, was his ESP also the best too? If that's the case, then that means his power was unrestricted. However, I still think he was a fake."

Ayako leaned forward. "I've always wondered about that. Why does the spoon bend? If the metal bends, then what kind of spoon is it? And if PK can bend the spoon, then is it even a spoon? Isn't that strange?"

"PK-MT is also widely considered to be fake. However, the majority of people have this. This latent ability varies in power for different people," Monk commented.

"So it's frankly possible even I have it?" I asked. _Hey, if even I could have it, then it isn't a power. It was just one of those things everyone could get. Like a cold or flu._

"Maybe," Monk shrugged. "If someone has PK-ST, it doesn't necessarily mean that said person is a fake. Unlike the Gellerini's PK, Shelby Meyer's was fake. She bent a special type of metal. She seemed credible but terribly arrogant. Generally people with psychic abilities, like Geller, would act as a magician. In that case, he would be able to perform magic without having to put up with others' complaints. But even magicians have limits. Otherwise, people would get suspicious, right? If I remember correctly, Meyer was also a magician, similar to Rolfe-something or other, but Rolfe constantly got into conflicts and fights with others. Despite this, this Rolfe magician was eventually backed up by Meyer. In other words, Meyer had confirmed his powers." _Sounds way to confusing for my tastes._

"And there was also Nina Kulagina. She was very strong. She had both PK-ST and PK-LT. PK-LT is the ability to influence living organisms, such as making them move. Such actions were often a cinch for her. She could cure illnesses with just physical contact. She stopped a frog's heart and even a human heart."

"Holy shit!" _here's, a question for you. If this lady tried to stop my heart, would she be stopping a human heart or a dog heart?_

"During the experiment, she aroused the researcher's curiosity. If she could stop a frog's heart, then she might be able to stop a human's heart. He got a volunteer for the experiment, and eventually the volunteer's heart was in imminent danger of stopping. The doctor witnessing this was able to save him though."

"Well that was a moron." I rolled my eyes. _Who volunteers for something like that?_

"...Normally, PK is used to move matchboxes, spoons, or other little objects. But there's a big gap of power between Oliver Davis and others. Dr. Davis is more of a serious researcher than a PK-user, and as such he hasn't been publicized much. But PK is just limited that way. Neither Shelby Meyer nor Oliver Davis had PK-LT either. Despite that...Uri Geller could do all the PK types, right? On top of that, he could also use ESP. Still, he looked suspicious to me."

"Be that as it may." Naru interrupted "it's very important to remember that in Kasai's case she truly believed in her psychic powers. She felt that she was unfairly attacked and ridiculed by her teachers in front of the entire school. And then… she cursed them to death. Strange things began happening after she said that. Those are the facts, and we can't ignore them."

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Taka came in yelling "Something awful has happened! Mr. Yoshino was in a bad car accident and now he's in the hospital!"

"The hell!? Hey wait, wasn't Kasai going with you? She didn't get hit by the car did she? Because I seriously don't want to pick her carcass off the road." I questioned.

"Someone stopped us as we were walking. As soon as we heard we ran to the school. She was right behind me…" Taka trailed off as she realized she could have possibly left the closest thing to a friend I'd seen her have behind.

Naru stood up; we were going to the hospital.

_ damnit! I hate hospitals. Can you see them letting me through? And then doctors and nurse crowd around me when they see my fur and try to diagnosis it. _

**_Hospital_**

Naru, Monk, and I went to the hospital while everyone else stayed behind. Why they let me come I have no clue. I wanted to stay behind, but they dragged my tail along.

"I-I was driving," Mr. Yoshino started to explain, "And there it was. Right in front of me! A hand! The knocking hand! It's because of her! That girl! It's Chiaki Kasai! When I was leaving school, she ran into me… and she gave me the most evil look I've ever seen! Oh my God, she cursed me. She cursed me to die and now it's really happening!"

_It's official. Yoshino has lost it._

Soon, we started walking back to the school-the hospital is situated right near the school.

"What do ya think, Naru? Was it Kasai?" Monk asked. Those two walked ahead of me as I trailed behind.

"I'm really not sure," Naru confessed "but we can safely say that things seem to be getting worse. Let's hurry back. We've got a lot to do and no time to waste."

I sighed. _Why did I agree to this job again?_

_Oh yeah, there's the small possibility that I'll meet someone who can fix my curse. _

_Not that I'll admit that that's the reason._

**_Later_**

We walked back to the school, and I found us all watching a group of girls that were confronted Kasai.

"Come on Kasai, admit it! Why don't you just stop?" one girl started. _Oh get a life you bitches!_

"Yeah, stop using your 'psychic powers' or whatever," another commented.

"What are you trying to do, scare everyone to death?" the third one sneered.

"No… you're wrong…" Kasai muttered, obviously wanted to get away from them.

"You know, if poor Mr. Yoshino had died, you'd totally be guilty of murder!" the first one practically yelled at her.

Kasai turned towards the wall.

"Hey, maybe we should lay off," one of them said to the rest. "If we say too much she could freak out and decide to curse us next!"

"What are you girls doing?" Ms. Ubusuna broke in. "Kasai?"

Kasai ran over to her teacher and started to cry onto Ms. Ubusuna's shoulder.

"There they go again," one of the girls muttered to the rest.

"It's kinda sick…"

"I don't understand how Ms. Ubusuna can stick up for her like that."

"Don't pay any attention to them." Ms. Ubusuna comforted. "It's not your fault. You've done nothing wrong."

_You know, I'm starting to have my doubts about Ubusuna. She'd been there for a few minutes, listening in. _

_Why didn't she come to help sooner?_

_Not that I care or anything. It just seems like it'd be boring to just stand there and listen to a couple of girls bitch._

**_Later_**

Later on, I was stuck in the base while the others went off to fail once again.

Naru came in, and I watched as he sat down.

The lights suddenly flickered off, officially making my day even more _fun_ than it was before. "What the hell? Stupid cheap principals." I ranted, sick of everything that had happened that day even though we were only halfway through it.

Naru stood up. "Quiet."

Then, I started to have vision of some sort of purple light through the ceiling. It seemed like… hair? I didn't know what scared me more, the fact I was having another vision episode or the fact that there was hair coming out of the ceiling. I think… both.

"What is that?"

"Now don't make any sudden movements," Naru answered, stepping in forward and pushing me behind him slightly. "Just stay calm."

"Dude, if I was freaking, you'd know it." I whispered back "I'd be whining up a storm. And get your arm out of my way or I will draw blood."

A head came out of the ceiling, and I'm sad to say the specter that was coming out of the ceiling upside down was still somehow prettier than I am. _Man, I thought I'd see something uglier than me by now! Wait… why am I thinking about this?_

I blame my small canine mind.

Thankfully, it wasn't looking at my face. It was instead tilted towards Naru. It opened its blood red eyes and continued to glare at Naru.

The woman started to creep further out of the ceiling. I dropped to fours and ran foreword in-front of Naru, snarling deeply. _Hey, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die fighting back! Especially since I can't seem to bother these people anymore, so there goes my idea of going out giving someone the creeps._

The door burst open and Monk ran in. He yelled some sort of chant and threw the fist he clutched his prayer beads in at the lady like it was some kind of weapon.

She disappeared; the hum of electricity came back on.

_Well, that was eventful._

"Ah, so the spirits have started showing their faces in here too, huh?" Monk commented.

"Apparently."

"Hey, are you alright Mai? Something about you… looks, different from usual." Monk asked.

Alright, I admit it. I sort of snapped a little when he asked that. But he should have known better than to mention my fur around me.

"I'm still the same ugly mutt I've always been." I grunted, sitting down and scratching my ear with my back paw. "Besides, it's not me you should be worrying over. The ghost has a thing for Naru, and not in a good way."

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

**_Thursday_**

You know you look like shit when I have to comment on it.

Normally I don't care about looks. I mean, I don't have any room to judge or praise, so I just don't think about it. But, Naru looked like shit… even compared to what he normally looked like. He had put makeup on his bad eye (after getting a lot of shit from the others. He still refused to tell them why he looked like he had been mauled) but they were still red looking, and I doubt it was from irritation of the skin.

"You look like you got run over by a truck. What happened to you?"

Naru turned his head away. "Our friend came back to visit me."

"So she does have a thing for you. You'll make a lovely couple."

"Turns out your instinct was right, she appeared at my window last evening." ha _ha ha. I get it, dog instincts right? Bastard._ "I thought something worse might happen if I looked away, so we spent the entire night staring at each other." _Well, it seems she's as stubborn as him too. They'll make a lovely couple._

Lin glared at him "why the hell didn't you call me?"

"Because I wanted to see what would happen."

"You're even dumber than I thought." I fought the urge to cross my arms out of habit. Damn cameras!

"And I thought it would be rude to wake you up for nothing," Naru continued.

"You only had to knock on the wall! And what would you have done if something bad HAD happened?" _wow, there was some emotion in that sentence. He's improving from robot to serial killer._

"Well obviously if it had I would have called. But we just had a little staring contest. Stop worrying."

"Alright, stupid question. Can a human even set a ghost on someone like that?"

"kasai couldn't_. _It would take a lot of power to curse someone like that, and Kasa powers aren't nearly strong enough_." what makes him think I was thinking about Kasai? I was asking a practical question._

"Well duh, she couldn't even bend spoons when we talked to her."

"That's right, and spirits appeared to all of the victims in every single incident," Naru agreed (I didn't know he had it in him.) "The Kasai theory definitely doesn't account for these apparitions."

The door to base swung open to reveal Ayako, Monk, Masako, and John, who all probably were listening in to the conversation like the annoying people they were.

"Well, maybe she's just off making ethigy dolls or something." Ayako argued, proving me right.

"You mean she makes dolls night after night so she can do around cursing everyone?" Monk questioned her. "I guess that's not an impossible theory."

"I thought you needed to hammer nails into those things." I put in "you'd need a lot of trees."

"She's right, and dolls do not summon spirits." Masako put in. _holy crap, did she just agree with me? I never thought I'd see the day._

"Of course not. Moreover they don't possess the power to have caused repeated hauntings," Naru suddenly seemed to understand something none of us could possibly understand and called to his real assistant. "Lin!" _oh great, they did another one of their flippin mind melds._

"Yes, it's possible that's the answer." Lin agreed. _Seriously, how can they mind meld so well like that?_

"Come on, fill us in." Monk demanded.

"I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." Naru muttered. He turned to face us. "We're dealing with a zuhzou."

"Mind explaining?"

"There's an extremely powerful hex at work in this school that's calling down curses on people," Naru simplified.

"Are you serious?" Monk questioned.

"Okay, but what's the connection between the zuhzou and these spirits?" Ayako demanded.

"This hex originally derived from the yin-yang tao. It's cast by driving a nail into a hitogata or straw ethigy doll. I'll explain this so Mai can catch up," bastard. "In the yin-yang tao there's a certain method of cursing people referred to as enmi. It's a hex that uses either a hitogata or a possession of the one being cursed, and driving a nail into the straw ethigy doll is one of the enmi arts. The doll's function is to simply convey the level of hatred of the person driving the nail. The doll themselves can do no real harm. But when the hexer, the one performing the curse, drives the nail into the hitogata, they call upon gods or spirits to deliver a death curse."

"So we're going to die." I deadpanned. I really need to stop hanging around these morons.

"The gods or spirits accept the task and carry the curse to the unlucky subject. In other words, the hexer actually contracts these gods, spirits, and even demons by performing the enmi arts," Naru finished.

"So basically every screwy thing happening around here is happening because of some curse?" _well, I guess I'm in the same boat as the ghosts._

"Someone has cast multiple enmi spells against people in this school, and evil spirits are appearing to those who have been cursed. The spirits aren't powerful enough to kill their targets immediately, so they torment and lead them to their deaths. It's a very indirect form of murder." Naru concluded.

"And if these attacks were to happen frequently, as they have at Yuasa, it would definitely have a negative effect on those people who are easily influenced." John commented.

"Yes," Naru agreed "an extreme example would be the girl who believes she was possessed by a fox. This explains both the incidents themselves and why the entire school was thrown into such a panic."

"So who performed the curses?" Monk brought up.

"All the evidence would seem to suggest the hexer is Kasai," Masako replied.

I snorted, holding back a laugh "you're joking, right?"

"It has to be Kasai." Ayako interjected.

"_Really_?" I didn't bother to hold in my sarcastic amusement. Kasai couldn't kill a fly, let alone a living person. She just wasn't that type. Trust me, I'm a dog. We usually have good instincts about humans.

"Well, yeah. Look her abilities were rejected and in turn she was made fun of and attacked in front of the whole school, right? And even her teacher friend has been put through hell because of it. They pushed Kasai to the edge, so she called down a death curse on them. She's just making good on her threat."

"That threat was done while the person in subject was in hysterics." I deadpanned "I've threatened to kill a few people myself- especially some people in my family- and I haven't sent a death curse on their asses."

"Then explain why Mr. Yoshino, who personally challenged and laughed at her in front of the entire school, is now in the hospital." Naru challenged.

"You're point?"

"What reason do you have for believing that she's not to blame?" he demanded.

I glanced around the room a minute, before pulling my hood back, so they could see my face. I pointed a paw at myself. "Look, you're obviously not understanding my curse. I don't just look like a dog, I _am_ a dog. I may have been a human at one point, but I'm not anymore. If it wasn't for the fact I have a human brain- something I can't help but feel is gone sometimes myself- I would be a dog completely. I have a dogs instincts and a dogs senses. And dogs are good at understanding people. Kasai wasn't the one who did this, if you can't understand that from a humans view, take it from a dogs." I yanked my hood up, slightly embarrassed but not backing down. This was one of those times I have to be serious. I won't let someone who didn't do it go down for it.

"Alright," Naru finally muttered. "I believe you."

"Good." I shook scratched my ears. I'm most of the way through shedding anyway, so I don't itch nearly as much as I did a few days ago. "By the way, don't expect me to ever do that again."

"That's great, but someone could still die if we don't hurry," Masako reminded us, effectively getting the topic off me. Something I would be grateful for if it wasn't for the fact I knew Masako did it because she hated letting me take the spotlight.

"We have to act. We can't leave the zuhzou out there. I'd like you all to search for the hitogata. Lin and I will go looking for the culprit."

"Uh, we're looking for dolls?" Monk said.

"_No_, we're looking for zombies. Dumbass." I muttered, collecting myself back into my normal sarcastic self.

"There are two ways to break an enmi spell. Turn the curse back on the hexer or burn the hitogata being used," Naru explained. "The doll is usually buried near the target. That means if the hexer is a student or school faculty member, it's most likely around here somewhere."

"Somewhere?! Oh great, that helps a lot. What do you want us to do, dig up the whole school?" Monk questioned.

"Well the hexer must have buried my hitogata sometime after Monday when we started investigating, so that one should still be fresh and easier to spot." Naru answered.

Masako glanced at me "you must like digging, right Mai?"

I glared back. _Bitch_. I can't answer her correctly, because that would require cursing. I'm well known to be a potty mouth, I know, I just hate using the F word. It's just another word for sex, so I don't see the point. So I couldn't answer without sounding really stupid.

"I guess, but… come on, this school is huge," Monk complained.

"Perhaps you'd like to leave?" _ouch, good one Naru. _

"Alright." He sighed.

As so, off we went.

**_Later_**

Somehow, I got paired to go with Naru and Lin into the cursed desk room once again.

I watched as they digged through the desk. "Here it is," Naru muttered, pulling out a small wooden board.

I walked over and sniffed the air, no scent. I guess most things paranormal have no scent, human or not.

Naru handed the doll to Lin. "They did a good job on it," Lin murmured "but it doesn't seem to be made for anyone specifically. Its only intention was to curse whoever sat at this desk."

"I think you're right," Naru agreed. "The hitogata caused whoever sat here to have an accident, meaning the hurt students weren't specifically targeted so much as they were just unlucky. I'll bet we'll find another one in the track team's locker room that's aimed at the entire club rather than at a single person."

So we headed to the track team's locker room. "The floor's concrete. They're usually buried, right?" Naru observed.

"Usually yes, but it's quite possible they've been hidden in the ceiling," Lin responded.

I dropped onto all floors and sniffed around, finding a crack in the concrete floor. It had a strange scent, not like all the other smells of the girls. This was different, but it was muddled by the other smells. I guess that while the Hitogata didn't smell like anything, anything else the hexer touched has his/hers scent.

I slipped my paw underneath and flipped it up to find another Hitogata. Grabbing it clumsily in my paws, I lifted it up "found it."

"Good work, Mai," Naru praised. (Wow, I didn't know he knew how to praise someone. You learn something new every day.) He took it from me.

I shrugged.

"This one is enmi as well. The cursed desk and the track team. If we dig a little deeper we're sure to find the culprit soon," Naru told us.

We headed back to base shortly after.

Suddenly, a scream busted my eardrums and Ayako ran into the room. It's Masako!" she yelled. We followed.

_to the hospital we go again. hoorah._

**Ta-da! Chapter 8 is done! Review! Sorry for the wait.**


	9. Seriously Short Authors Note About Poll

Dear readers of 'The Beast and The Narcissist',

Hi there!

Sorry, I'm not usually one to just stick an Authors Note in the middle of my story chapters, but I have a reason this time.

I've officially set up a poll to see what the majority wants Mai to be with! I want more than just NaruxMai or LinxMai people! It's obviously see-able on my author's page, so all you have to do is click on the link and scroll to the very top of the page.

because of the fact everyone is wanting this to be an original thing, i'm going to be taking down the Naru and Lin option on the poll. Mai wouldn't go for someone with an ego more noticeable than her fur, and Lin and Mai wouldn't be able to stop hissing at each other to fall for each other. SORRY fans of Naruxmai and LinxMai fans, we j ust get this waaay to much on this site. this isn't the usual drama for Ghost Hunt, so why should it have the same pairing?

And just because one wins, that doesn't mean I'll make it that person! I'm more or less doing this to collect information!

Its starts today (8/12/13) and it ends on (8/26/13)! I think that gives everyone enough time to vote, don't you?

Alright, seriously short Authors note over!

Mandaree1


	10. The After School Hexer part 3

**DuskWolf****= love the idea, but I can't really see Mai curl up with Naru in the sewers with how she is. I'll try to put a friendly sort of romantic moment later on in the fanfic, but Mai doesn't really like Naru this way in the fanfic. But she might end up liking him though!**

**WhisperToTheWolves****= I can't wait to write it! Mai is going to make Monk and Naru pay in every single way she can. –Evil chuckle- **

**97kingdomwolf****= MaixLin huh? That's just as often used as NaruxMai. And I don't know how that would work anyway, but that's me. It's definitely a pairing to keep in mind though!**

**..**

**..**

**..**

**_Thursday_**

The ambulance came and picked up Masako. She was unconscious on the stretcher as we watched her get put into the back of the vehicle. Thankfully, I wouldn't be going to the hospital with her.

People with no lives had already started rumors.

"_I heard she saw something…"_

"_It's the same thing that Mr. Yoshino saw…"_

"_It's gotta be a curse!"_

"_Come on you know it's her. Who else would do this?"_

"_I hope I don't meet Kasai in a dark hallway."_

_'__Get a life you paranoid sheep.'_

"Call us soon and let us know how she's doing, okay?" Ayako said as John climbed in the back of the ambulance.

"Right. You guys try to be careful, okay?"

And now we're down two morons. As if we weren't stressed enough.

_Hey, maybe if I'm lucky, since I already have a curse, I can't get another!_

_Wait…_

_Why doesn't that sound as good as I thought it'd sound?_

**_Later_**

Ayako was still in hysterics when we reached the base, made obvious by the first sentence that came out of her stupid mouth.

"Shouldn't we just go ahead and get this Kasai girl locked down?! Our lives are in danger here!"

"Did you not hear me earlier!? She didn't do it, dumbass."

Ayako turned back to glare at me. "You still believe that crap?! Then tell us who IS doing it, otherwise but out!"

"I don't know, and I won't butt out! I refuse to let someone who didn't do it go to prison to hang out with the junkies!"

"Whoever it is, they're warning us," Naru tried to diffuse the situation as well as get the point across. It only worked with the latter.

"What?"

"We must be getting close to something," Naru answered "The hexer attacked Miss Hara and I to warn us from digging any deeper."

"That's a hell of a warning!" Ayako huffed "Masako was pushed down the stairs, Naru. This is serious!"

"Yeah," Monk agreed. "And not to toot my own horn or anything, but who knows what would have happened to you if I hadn't scared away that spirit earlier."

"So as long as we get the message, the hexer doesn't really care if one of us is hurt or killed," Naru continued "That tells us a bit more about the kind of person we're dealing with and makes our resolving this case quickly all the more imperative. The targets were Mr. Yoshino, the unfortunate sophomores who sat at that desk and had accidents one after another, and the entire track team. And let's not forget, the hitogata we found in the desk and the locker room make it clear that the culprit was after someone connected to them. "

"I think we're all aware of that working on this case poses a risk, and for that reason we should want to expose the hexer as soon as we possibly can. Lin, Mai, and myself will investigate those connected to the desk and the track team. Monk, you and Ms. Matsuzaki will continue to search the school for hitogata." He commanded us. _I guess he paired me with himself and Lin because he was worried I'd rip Ayako a new one, or give her an eye like he has if he left me alone with them._

_Well played, Sir Ass._

"Yeah, right." They both agreed.

I was in base with Lin and Naru as they interviewed Miss Sunshine once again, giving me another sugar migraine.

"So you're trying to figure out if the desk and the track team have a connection," Taka questioned, only to be ignored.

"Who was the first student to sit in that seat?" Naru went on to question.

"Uh, first term… I honestly don't remember. But I know that Murayama sat there second term."

"When exactly would that have been?" Naru barely gave her time to breathe.

"Oh, let's see the first seating change was in the middle of September," Taka muttered, gathering her thoughts. "See, at our school we always change seat on the fifteenth day of every month, so it must have been from July fifteenth to September, uh, fourteenth, with summer vacation in the middle."

"When did Murayama have her accident?"

"A couple of days before the seating change, I think." Taka answered after thinking about it for a minute.

"Alright. That means that the culprit must have put the hitogata inside the desk sometime between July fifteenth and September eleventh or twelfth."

"Hitogata?" Taka was ignored, like I usually am when I make a witty comment.

"The accidents started happening midway through September, so the student before Murayama probably wasn't connected. I think it's a safe bet that Murayama must've done something to anger the hexer during that period."

"So the curser is pissed?"

"Oh yes, that's obvious. They had to have had a grudge of some kind. Our culprit knew Murayama, or at least what she looked like, which means we can probably rule out teachers she didn't have and students in other grades."

"Um," Taka inputted, "I don't know. Sometimes substitutes or administration type people come in. Plus there are club meetings and stuff that other kids come to." Then Taka gasped and brought a hand to her mouth, effectively making me think she'd make a damned good actor.

"What's with you?"

"Well. It happened during the Kasai Panic… Some of us kept dragging Kasai into our classroom to see the spoon-bending thing. It really was pretty cool, you know. But one time Murayama just totally stormed in and started yelling at us. She said 'Would you guys give it a rest? I'm so sick of this supernatural crap! I mean, come on! It's really just a cheap trick, right?'. I guess Murayama was pretty upset because she even went to talk to Ms. Ubusuna."

_Oh powers above damnit. How do I disprove that one?_

"Ubusuna?" I asked, grasping for anything of any use at the moment.

"Uh, yeah," Taka nodded. "She knows a ton about psychic powers and stuff… Didn't you guys know that? I've even gone to ask her questions about it before. I remember her talking about psychokinesis… Like the three types of PK that there are. I remember trying to see if I could make a die roll a two, ya know, since she said it wasn't that uncommon… No dice—er, forgive the pun. Looks like I'm as normal as they come… But Kasai was different. I think maybe that's why she always stuck up for Kasai, even when the whole school went crazy over psychic stuff and people started taking sides."

"And this is the teacher Murayama complained to about Kasai?" Naru questioned suddenly.

"Uh huh," Taka nodded. "Ms. Ubusuna said if she stepped in it would just stir things up, but pretty soon the other teachers and the PTA started freaking out about it."

"So Murayama was the first person to reject psychic powers… Quite interesting," Naru muttered, obviously on to something in his twisted mind.

"Wow, you know I hadn't even thought about it until just now, but I don't think the track team had a lot of believers either," Taka spoke up suddenly. "Well, Mr. Yoshino was the team's advisor and he _really_ didn't believe, so the team ended up doing… you know… whatever he said." _Oh great, more frickin sheep._

_I really should have stayed at home_.

**_Later_**

"What did you say?" Ayako questioned.

"You're kidding, right?" Monk put his two cents in.

I shrugged "you were wrong, he isn't an Onmyouji."

"But come one, making hitogata, performing a purifications, and now this zuhzou thing? Of course we'd think he's an onmyouji! Anyone would" Monk protested.

"And you're yelling at me _why_!? Lin can do it, Naru useless at it. Get the picture?"

"So I ruined a perfectly good manicure for nothing," Ayako muttered, looking at her brightly colored nails. _Seriously!?_ _After all that's happened, you're worried about your nails?_ I never saw the point of nail polish, but then again, I have paws, not hands.

"And I've been putting up with his crap because I thought, 'Oh, he's a master, we have to do what master says!'" Monk murmured, looking upset.

"Then maybe you should wait until the whips and chains come out before you assume he's bought you." I glanced at the new smell coming our way "Mrs. Ubusuna?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I just heard that Masako Hara was injured."

"She fell down some stairs."

"Is she alright?"

Ayako spoke up. "At the moment it doesn't appear to be life-threatening, but if she had landed any differently things could've been a lot worse. Maybe you'll see this as an opportunity to wake up and take a good look at this girl you're so interested in defending."

"Shut. Up." I hissed, only to be ignored.

"Oh I knew it, Ubusuna spoke remorsefully. "You've chosen to believe Kasai is to blame for all this too, haven't you?"

"Of course we do." Ayako grumbled.

"There's certainly no reason _not_ to suspect her," Monk echoed.

"She's so scared, I really worry about her." Ubusuna worried. "I'm not sure… what she'll do…"

"She wouldn't go… too far, would she?" I questioned. As I've mentioned before, I'm not against suicide nor will I try to prevent it. but if she kills herself everyone will always think she did it, and that's no way to go.

"I doubt it," Ayako answered with a sneer. "I saw her over there spying on me and Monk earlier. For all we know maybe the 'little dear' is deciding who she wants to curse next."

"Who do you think you-"

"Excuse the bitch." I interrupted, jumping into the middle of the argument like a moron "she says she's a professional, but I seriously have my doubts. I don't think Kasai did this, the girl doesn't have it in her. Call it an instinct, I suppose, but I just can't get the guilty verdict to stick with me."

"Instinct?"

"It's just one of those things." Why explain what's natural? 'It's a dog thing' won't work with Ubusuna, she probably didn't understand what she saw when my hood got yanked down the other day, so she probably doesn't realize I'm a mutt.

"My goodness," Ubusuna spoke, sounding surprised, probably by my cursing. "And what's your name?"

_What kind of questions is that?_ "Mai Taniyama."

"Thank you, Mai. That means a lot, and I know Kasai will be very happy to hear it too."

I shrugged "it's what I think. They can just go fall into a ditch for all I care."

"I would really appreciate it if the rest of you would stop accusing that young girl," Ubusuna addressed Ayako and Monk. "The poor thing has been through enough as it is… Good day."

"How can we stop accusing her?" Ayako shot at Ubusuna's back once she was out of hearing range. "What if something worse happens because we sat back and didn't act in time?"

"Yeah, and it's starting to look like it could be our turn next," Monk muttered, sounding seriously paranoid.

**_Later_**

I've always liked keeping to myself. Not the secretive, you-don't-know-a-damned-thing-about-me like Naru does, I just like keeping myself as my only company.

So it wasn't really a surprise that I ran off on my own and didn't really explain where I was going. I wanted to be on my own (something that didn't really happen much anymore since I've become part of S.P.R.) and I didn't feel like having someone come running after me.

So it surprised (and annoyed me) that during my walk when I was looking around for some of those Hitogata things, I started hearing crying.

Looking around, I noticed a kid's bag in the middle of the construction site. _Is someone that dumb? _"yo!? Someone out there?"

More crying._ Just great. I'm not a hero._

Sighing, I glanced around a minute before yanking my hood back and shaking it off. It would be a nuisance more than anything else when it came to climbing over things. Sticking my paws carefully into the small holes of the fence, I made my way over, getting more than a few scratches and I'm sure a few pieces of fur came off.

_Well, I'm no hero, but my dog instincts demand that I go help the kid. Dogs hate it when humans feel sad._

I eventually found myself staring at a slightly open manhole cover.

Nudging the thing open with my nose (you have no clue how hard it was with my sensitive nose and how heavy the thing was) I turned around and carefully backed myself slowly down, wincing at the feel of having my pads of my feet separated by the rusty bar.

"Mai!" suddenly, I heard Naru shout. I was so busy trying not to slip I didn't even smell him coming "What are you doing in there?"

"There's a brat down here!" I shouted back. "They dropped their bag over…" I looked over, no bag.

_Oh shit, I think I just fell for some kind of ghost con._

And, as if karma and the powers above both decided it was time I meet my maker, my paw slipped. Frantically grasping for anything with every part of my body, I hooked the top rung in my jaw and bit down. _Hard. _Ignoring the toothache that was exploding in my head, I carefully searched for anything for my paws too grab, trying not to upset the balance too much. Dogs can get hurt a lot easier than humans in drops like this. If I fall on my spine, I'll never walk again. If I'm even breathing to walk, that is.

"Mai!" I heard Naru run through the gate.

I felt a tug. I looked down, to see a little kid (probably some kind of spook) grabbing my back paw. It was then I knew I was screwed.

Naru came up by the manhole, noticed my predicament, quickly demanded "give me your hand!"

Ignoring the fact he misused his terminology on my body (something I don't usually do) I managed to calmly mutter a slightly garbled "grab my scruff. Paw, don't work."

"What!?"

My ears fell back in slight irritation. He's supposed to be the smart one! I rephrased "neck fur. Grab neck. Won't hurt, lots of skin. Hurry!"

My teeth slipped from the bar just in time for him to grab my scruff. Ignoring the slight sting from the tug, I listened to him. "Calmly put your foot on the ladder. Can you do that?"

Although my timing was horrible; I snorted "doubtful."

I placed a paw on the ladder, and of course, it broke.

We fell.

_What is with my luck!?_

I landed square on my paw, making me whimper slightly. Hey, dogs don't cry, they whimper.

Getting up on all fours, I limped over to where the ladder used to start. Yup, I broke it.

"Damn my luck." Muttered under my breath "why is it always the mutt?"

"Are you alright?" again, my sense of smell failed me. Glancing over, I noted Naru was leaning against a wall.

"You fall in too?"

"My hand got caught in your undershirt."

"Well, we're screwed." I commented lightly, sounding almost cheerful "let's hope someone will find us soon, or we'll be buzzard food."

"Did you tell anyone you'd be here?" Naru asked. I gave him a dry look.

"Do I ever?"

"Me neither." He admitted, not surprising me in the least.

Placing my front to paws on the wall in front of me, I let out a howl to see if anyone nearby could hear me. Nope, nothing. I started barking as loud as I could.

"What possessed you to come down here anyway?" Naru interrupted.

"A brat." I looked around a minute to see if she was still down here, then restarted barking. _Yup, just like I thought, I got duped._

"So now we know they've decided to attack you as well."

"Why am I not surprised?" I huffed, more to myself. After joining S.P.R, I've found myself talking to myself aloud a lot more often than I should. _First sign of insanity…_ "It's always the mutt."

I went back to barking.

"Hey, dogs like things that move, right?" he questioned, before digging around in his pockets "you want to meet my pet?" I tilted my head, curious. Alright, I admit it, I'm overdoing the dog thing, but dogs are well known to survive stuff like this more than humans. "Come on out here," he said as he lifted his hand and brought a coin out.

"Did you hit your head? It's just a coin."

The coin shook, then went back into his palm. "You see, he hid because you made fun of him."

"I made fun of you, not the coin. Besides, it's in your hand."

"Really?" He opened his hands.

"The hell?' I muttered. I've seen magicians do that sleeve things before, but he didn't tilt his arm back or anything, so it isn't there.

He reached behind his right elbow. "Ah, there he is," he pulled the coin back out.

I sniffed it, no scent. What the hell is that thing? "Let me look at that thing."

"Catch," he said, flicking it in the air. I tried clapping my paws together, as a version of catching something. Unclapping them, I found I didn't have anything. Taking a quick check to make sure I didn't drop it somehow, I crossed my arms. _I'm falling for all kinds of dupes today_ "stop screwing with me."

"I guess your fur scared him so much he had to hide again."

"Nice to know I'm freaky."

He moved his hand up to the collar of his jacket. "Ah," he pulled the coin back out again, "so that's where he was."

"You're not afraid of Mai, are you?" Naru asked the coin.

"Mm-hmm," it agreed.

"You don't have to be afraid of her. I promise she's not nearly as scary as she comes across," Naru told it. He put it away.

_Drip._

_The hell? __I looked around, nothing._

_Drip. Drip._

"Don't worry Mai," said Naru, trying to reassure me. "When everyone gets back together to report they'll see I'm not there and come looking for me. At least I know that Lin will."

"Just you huh? Ass."

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Suddenly, Naru was kneeling forward. "What's with you?"

"Whatever happens, stay close and keep calm," Naru answered, not answering my question.

Suddenly, nothing in here smelled like anything. Oh just great. _The spooks back_.

"What's that?" I questioned. Long hair came out of the ceiling, followed by part of the face to reveal two bloodthirsty eyes.

_Well, isn't this familiar?_

I started growling.

Dogs are well known to hate ghosts because of what they do to their masters, after all. And while Naru is no 'master' of mine, I still hate the damned things. I'd be up to defending anyone or anything at a time like this, if it meant getting to attack a ghost.

"It's alright," Naru reassured. "The spirit couldn't have grown much more powerful in one day. Stay calm and we'll be just fine."

"You know, you suck at making people feel better. You're more freaked than I am, get that through your thick head now."

Something suddenly protruded from the mouth of the ghost. The woman spirit pulled it out of her mouth to reveal a bloody scythe.

Ah, screw my promise to keep my cursing to a minimum; this will hopefully be the only time I'll ever mutter this phrase "we're fucked."

I know I told you I hate the f word, and I do, it just fits at a time like this. Besides, I say 'we're screwed' too often. We need a little mix up here and there.

The woman flipped over and dropped down to stare at Naru, the only thing between them being the scythe she held close to his face. My growling deepened. _Come at you spook, I'll make good use of that scythe._

"Naru? Are you down there?" I heard Lin's voice call down. I turned back, the ghost was gone.

Why do I feel like I missed something big?

Naru came over and stood beside me. "That was quick. We need a rope or a ladder, and a flashlight, please."

I, finally smelling something, ran over on all fours and grabbed something between my two paws_. Damnit, the smell is impossible to trace again. Damn water._

"Mai! What are you doing now?!" Naru shouted as though he was expecting me to have run off into the sewers to live with the rats.

"Get over here."

**_Later_**

"Mai, stop falling down holes. You even dragged Naru in with you this time!" Ayako berated me.

"I'm sorry, from this moment on whenever we're on a case I will swiftly get away from anything circular." I grumbled.

"Naru, I'll check on you next, okay?" Ayako told him, only to be ignored.

"You know, it's actually kinda impressive that there are this many of them," Monk commented "I never would've thought to look in the sewer."

"There's Mai," Naru said, looking at the hitogata he held. "So Mai's doll, and also ones for Miss Hara, Yoshino, and myself were found."

"Our names weren't there?" Monk asked.

"Hm, well I guess that's a relief," Ayako muttered.

"I don't know, I kinda feel left out," Monk joked.

"Now we have to burn the hitogata and throw the ashes in the river, and the power of the enmi will be broken," Naru declared.

"But, do you believe this will stop the hexer?" Ayako questioned.

"We're not even completely sure who it is," Monk added.

"It ain't Kasai." I put in. hey, you left the moment open, I'll butt in.

"Mai, come on, this is really getting old," Ayako reprimanded.

And then, Naru fell over, and didn't get up.

During the confusion, I still found myself joking "dude, if you're dead, I'm so not hiding your remains."

**Alright, I've got to mention this now. I deleted my poll and reposted it, with a few changes. Sorry! this will be the only time I'll do that. So please revote! And I don't want any more reviews about what I should choose. Sorry, don't like them is all.**

**And since Naru and Lin are obvious choices for most people, I took down those choices. There's still a choice for me, I just don't want everyone voting them. We really need some originality!**


	11. The After School Hexer part 4

**97KingdomWolf********I can't really think of a 'guy with glasses who names starts K' would you mind reviewing me his name?**

**Dancingfingers ****= I'm happy to take any votes I can get. =)**

**Duskwolf= ****I'm not sure the curse should be tired with Gene…. I was thinking of more along the lines of a beauty and the beast type of thing for later on, or maybe her curse won't go away. I'm not sure.**

**SS****= sorry, I'm not going to do the flinging charm scene. I've already got it worked out now. I'm actually kind of confused as to how that would work ("yo, can I see that?" "Sure, let me, whoops, my hand slipped! Duck Mai! Duck!")**

**How would she get lots of holy water poured on her? John just gets mad and dunks a bottle on her?**

**And I thought John was a priest because I'd only recently finished reading the manga. **

**_…_**

**_…_**

**_…_**

**_This chapters gonna be pretty short, sorry. I'll start making longer chapters soon enough! This is more or less a quick ending. As well as the unveiling of the who Mai's gonna be with! Be ready to be pissed. It's not one most of you want. Sorry, it's my fic, so I'll write it with the pairing I want. Deal with it. Flames I get for it will be responded with an angry PM that will cause an even longer and more annoying argument between me and you all, so let's just not go there._**

**_Friday_**

I walked through the door of Naru's hospital room, quite ready to give him hell. If I'm going to be stuck seeing his ass at the hospital, he was going to be stuck listening to me. If he hadn't realized hospitals weren't my thing, he was about to. Monk and Ayako were already there, and the hitogata's were burned and washed away. Just thought I'd give you a quick retelling of what had happened the past few days.

"So, you're breathing? Damn, and here I hoped. Well, you're going to be in here a while, and that means I get to visit you every night, and piss you off. And you can't even push me out the door." I smirk "this is going to be fun."

Taka came in a lot less pissed than me.

"Yuuko? Why are you here?" Monk asked. _She's here because her idol Norio (can someone tell me what the hell that means?) is here. Why do you think she's here?_

"I asked her to come," Naru explained. "Is Kasai with you?"

"Yeah, she's here," Taka confirmed as Kasai walked in, making everyone tense, and me more pissed. _Seriously? Grow up._ "And one more. Come on in" Taka called to Ubusuna, who walked in slowly with flowers in her hands.

"Hello? Please excuse me, I hope I'm not intruding on everyone." _Dude, you were expected to be here. How the hell could you be intruding?_

Suddenly, I smelled something. It was so familiar, that if I had more than two seconds to think on it before the conversation began I would have been able to pick it out, but the damn flowers were in the way, and then the lull in conversation was over and my attention was elsewhere.

Soon, they were seated, and the questioning began.

"I have a couple of questions. First one is for Yuuko and Kasai. Did either of you hear about me being an onmyouji from talking to Mai?" _I never thought that'd come back to haunt me. Oh well, I've done worse then spread a lie by accident, believe me. You won't believe the stuff I've done in my lifetime._

"Being a what?" _smooth, Taka. Unintelligent yet innocent. It got you off the hook, but I'm knocking what I thought your brain level was at down a few pegs._

"Yeah, I did. But so what?" Kasai answered. _Finally, someone who can get out the proper details without giving out the full info and not sound like an ass! Score one for spoon girl!_

"Did you pass that information along to anyone?" _okay… I'm getting the feeling I may have done more than just pass around a lie. What the hell did I get myself into this time?_

"What the hell kind of difference would it make if I told anybody?" Kasai snapped. "Why are you asking me stupid questions? Just say I'm guilty! Just say I like to curse people!" _oh shit, I think she just hit her breaking point._

"hey hey! Calm down!" I yelled, but I'm not sure she heard me.

"I'm not stupid, why else would you have asked me to come here?"

"I need you to answer the question," Naru ignored her. "You must've told someone I was an onmyouji, now who was it?"

Ms. Ubusuna spoke up. "I suppose Kasai did confine to me that she'd heard that. But please, rest assured, I haven't shared it with anyone else."

"I appreciate that," Naru answered. "I have just one more question to ask. Where are you from, Ms. Ubusuna?"

_Alright, I can get he wants to know all who knew about the lie. I can even go along with the fact he brought Taka here. but what the hell does someone's hometown got to do with this?_

_I guess this is why I'm not the narcissistic genius, and just the mutt sidekick…_

I'm from Fukushima," she answered. "But why do you ask?" _good question lady, I think we're all starting to get our doubts. Maybe he did hit his head when he knocked out._

"Fukushima…" Naru repeated, before continuing. "Thank you very much. The case is solved. I believe I have a complete picture of the events at Yuasa and the person who's behind them."

"You know who did it?" Kasai asked.

"You figured it out from those questions?" Monk demanded. _I'm getting the self-righteous vibe he has when he figures something out beforehand, so he was probably double checking himself, so no, it wasn't the questioning, unfortunately. Now his ego's gonna get bigger._

"It's really not that hard if you consider the facts of the case. We're dealing with zuhzou that uses enmi or hitogata, and if the hitogata are found and disposed of properly, the hex should be broken." He started his explanation.

"Okay, so who is it?" Monk demanded impaintently. Dude, just let him do his thing. He'll tell you eventually. No use saying anything now, it'll only make things worse, and I wanna know! Yeas, people, even I have a small amount of curiosity of what the hell is going on.

"You're trying to say it's me, that I did it, aren't you?" Kasai squeaked, sounding ready to completely break and make me have to call for the guys with hug-me coats.

"Calm down," Naru said, "it's not you." _about time someone finally agreed with me. Don't doubt a dog._ "I doubt you know how to make a hitogata or have the skill to perform the zuhzou curse, therefore we can rule you out." _Hey, logic! About time someone used it the past few days._

"Alright, then who is it?" Ayako asked.

"Yeah, quit stalling Naru! Who did it?" Monk repeated, reminding me of two kids watching Scooby Doo. _Well, we have a blond, a makeup wearing chick, the dog, the smart girl, etc. we're our own mystery Inc… actually, let's not go there. It's a dark and scary place._

"Our hexer, is Ms. Ubusuna."

_We have now reached the twilight zone. Get off on the right side and try not to get lost on the completely random turn our train of accusations have taken. I sure as hell have, and I don't want any followers._

"Inside a manhole on the grounds we found hitogata with the names of myself, Mai, and Miss Hara as well as Mr. Yoshino and many other people at the school. You were the one who made them, aren't you Ms. Ubusuna?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. What on earth is a hitogata?" she played it off. _Damn, you could fool a lie detector. Just not Naru. He makes those things faulty._

_Now that I think about it, she does kinda smell like that usually washed out smell I've been smelling around the Hitogata's that required people moving stuff to hide them. How the hell did I miss that? man, I really am a moron._

Naru answered her question. "The straw doll used to cast the zuhzou hex. If there are any more out there please tell me where to find them, and I want you to promise that you won't create another one ever again."

"How could I make such a promise when I've done nothing wrong?" _man, I'm starting to feel like that cat the watches a ping pong ball bounce back and forth on a table. I'm starting to get the appeal._

"You are guilty, Ms. Ubusuna," Naru accused.

"There must be some confusion."

"All of the evidence points to your involvement."

"And what sort of 'proof' do you have?"

"You're wrong!" Kasai cut in. "I caused all of it to happen! I'm the one who's guilty!"

"The victims hurt you." Naru slightly agreed, then stated facts "They were the ones who attacked and rejected you and publically ridiculed your psychic powers which makes it appear that the motivation for the culprit to begin casting curses was the Kasai Panic."

Ms. Ubusuna smiled. "Then correct me if I'm mistaken but wouldn't that make Kasai more of a suspect than I am? She even confessed to you just now, didn't she?"

"M-Ms. Kei…" Kasai's voice trembled.

I growled, not even bothering to hide it. Let it float around the room for all I care "you bitch." I hissed.

"Correct me if I'm wrong" she answered back "but from what we saw the other day, you are the bitch of the room." _how to respond to that…. I guess I'll have to glare._ _Not that she can see it from under my hood._

"Actually no," Naru broke in to the fight, knowing that his other eye was at stake if this went on. "Kasai could be ruled out because of her relationship with Murayama."

"Murayama?"

"Yes, the first student that had an accident due to sitting at that desk. Didn't they know each other, Yuuko?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure that Murayama and Kasai were both members of the liberal arts club for a little while, before Kasai quit and joined the biology club." She looked at the girl in question, who was making sure not to look anyone in the eye.

"…For a little bit… Sophomore year…" Kasai answered the unspoken question.

"It was weird when Murayama yelled at her that time. I remember we were all sorta shocked by the fact that she actually had the courage to talk to an upperclassman in such a nasty way," Taka finished. _You kidding? I do it all the time with sir ass. Then again, I guess that's different._

"If our culprit personally knew the student she was targeting she wouldn't have had to go to the trouble of putting a blanket curse on that desk, so why did she do it? Why would someone chose to curse a seat instead of a person? It's simple; the hexer didn't know Murayama or what she looked like," Naru explained, probably for my sake.

"Based on what you've just said I don't think you have enough evidence to convict me. Ehe, I could have easily asked around if I wanted to find out what her name was," Ms. Ubusuna defended, her argument weakening every moment.

"Following Murayama's complaint, those who denied the existence of psychic abilities banded together, and made their feelings known. By that point, you and others were made to feel isolated. Would you have really felt free to ask? We also have to consider the names used. Three people outside of Yuasa High School were targets of curses. That would be Mai, Masako Hara, and then myself. Aside from Miss Hara, whose celebrity makes it common knowledge, there are a limited number of people who know Mai's name or mine. Speaking for myself, I can only remember disclosing my full name to the school principal and then to you, in the lab when we first met." _Damn, even I can't argue that one, and I'm usually pretty good at finding loopholes._

"The principal doesn't know Mai's name, so that would mean, as far as I can tell, that you're the only person here who knows all three of our proper names, Ms. Ubusuna."

"Why would I want to put a curse on you? What kind of motive could I possibly have? I don't even know you." _just give up. You're caught. Do the guy thing and just flat out state that you did it instead of the girly 'I'm going to twirl around the blame'. Heck, I'm a girl and I don't use that approach anymore._

"A few minutes ago, you said that Kasai told you she had talked to Mai who told her that I was an onmyouji. Isn't that right?"

"Yes, and?"

"Zuhzou hexes come from onmiyoudo. If I were an onmyouji, I might be able to put a stop to them, so you tried to get rid of me before I could figure it out and act."

"If that's true then why would I bring Mai into it?"

"Mai has demonstrated unusually sharp intuition on this case. For example, she was the first person to declare that Kasai was innocent. You were afraid that people would start to believe her, so you cast a curse on Mai. Also, you've seen under her hood" an uncomfortable shift from everyone in the room. I'd never mentioned why I'd hit him before it came out now, so they must really be kicking themselves for getting mad for Naru's eye "you must have figured out that Mai already has a curse, and feared that she may have information on breaking other curses from research she may or may not have done to try to break hers, and know how to end the ones you had placed."

"It's not true…" Kasai sniffed. "Ms. Kei has been the only one who believed in me!"

"Here we go again…" I muttered, no point in stopping the damn that was breaking now.

"I did it. I said it in an assembly in front of everyone! I'll curse you death! I said it! I wanted them all to just go away! All of those people who made fun of me and treated Ms. Kei like garbage just because she was my friend!" Kasai starting sobbing "And then people started having accidents. Mr. Yoshino and Masako were really hurt… I don't know what I'm supposed to do! I can't help it! It's me! It's all my fault! I cursed them and everything started and I didn't mean to!"

"It's easy to understand why'd you want to protect your teacher, Kasai." Naru's answered "She was the one to stand up and defend you, but there's no way a novice caused this. You simply don't have the ability to do it. You've even had difficulty bending spoons lately and that's a much easier skill."

"She almost used a trick to bend a spoon against the edge of a chair. Where do you suppose Kasai would have learned that particular trick to bend the spoon on the edge of a chair, Ms. Ubusuna?" Naru looked directly at Ms. Ubusuna. _Um, am I missing something again? It wouldn't really be surprising. I'm barely figuring out what's going on as we go on._

"I'm sure I don't know."

"She learned it from you. Yes, you passed on your knowledge. No one else would know to do that." Naru looked towards Lin, who stalked towards him."You have a remarkable understanding of psychic powers and parapsychology, with an interest in some specialized fields as well." Lin handed Naru some old magazine.

"I began to suspect that your involvement with Kasai's powers and her well-being wasn't purely for filling throbbing purposes." Naru held up the magazine before flipping through the pages, "so I followed my hunch and started poking around in some old papers." Naru held the magazine open at some page. "It wasn't long before I came across this. According to the date here it was doing the psychic craze that happened when you were a child. Among the children who claimed to be able to bend spoons was a little girl named Kei Ubusuna."

Naru continued. "As the craze grew and drew attention, many children began to come forward and claim they too had psychic power. At first the children became media darlings. Both television and print covered the stories, running specials and lavishing them with attention, but as curiosity began to fade, the public began to look down on the kids. People began to call them fakes and questioned whether any of them had any real powers at all. One of the girls who came forward during that time was a girl named Kei Ubusuna, from the Fukushima prefecture."

Ms. Ubusuna's hold on the flowers tightened. "I wasn't a fake! I could do it! I really did bend those spoons and a lot of people saw it!" she yelled. "It's just… sometimes it was easy, and other times it just wouldn't work, and then that reporter came to see me. He told me, 'If you really have these powers, you should be able to bend this. Would you like to give it a try and show me?' and he gave me a spoon. I remember that day so clearly. I thought if I failed he would write about what a liar I was and everyone would believe him. So just that once, I decided to use a little trick that another one of the psychic kids had shown me to bend the spoon, I was just so nervous! There was a photographer. He caught me… No one was there to tell me I didn't have to fake it. I didn't have anyone to teach me that when you can't make it work, it's okay to just admit it!" _well, I can't blame her on that one. Cursing peoples a whole different thing though._

"I'm sorry," Naru murmured, but I doubted he was sorry she got caught. "It's a shame Japan left the reputation of ESP and psychic research in the hands of the media. There were no credible research institutions at the time to determine whether there was real truth to the children's claims and abilities. This should never have been left to the court of public opinion. The media will always care more about headlines than truth."

"Did you really do it?" Kasai asked her.

"At first, I only wanted to defend Kasai's talent, but then it got crazy, and people started saying things, like, 'Why don't you really help that girl instead of encouraging her?' and asking me how I could call myself a teacher," Ms. Ubusuna muttered crazily, obviously unable to hide what she'd done any longer.

"And so, you…"

"That's right…" Ms. Ubusuna smiled."It was only supposed to be a little prank."

I huffed quietly "and you called me a bitch_." Well, technical term wise, I am one, but this makes me seem like an angel._

"About ten years ago, an unusual car wreck occurred on small street near a Tokyo publishing firm," Naru pulled a newspaper clipping out of his notebook. "The driver, who's erratic steering caused the accident, gave a detailed report to the police," he rattled off from the clipping. "He is quoted as saying that, 'Suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, a disembodied hand appeared before my eyes'."

"Oh my gosh…" Taka gasped.

"Damn, do you have a line?"

"The man who caused the accident also happened to be the reporter who published your story," Naru silently accused Ms. Ubusuna.

"Are you accusing me of that, too?"

"It certainly seems likely. But if you did cause the car to wreck, then there's no way in hell we'll believe you intended these 'pranks' of yours to be harmless. Luckily no one involved has died yet, but it was only a matter of time. If we hadn't found that hitogata in the desk and another student had been assigned there, they might have been dragged to death by a train," Naru told her. _Oh great, so this is a serial killer in training._

"Oh yes, that would have been tragic, but then, if someone had died, maybe people would've learned a lesson," Ms. Ubusuna lightly answered as though she was merely talking about the weather as she put the flowers down. "A lesson about respecting things in this world that can't be explained by science."

Ms. Ubusuna reached her hand into the flower stems she had been arranging. "Lin!" Naru ordered as soon as he saw this. Lin ran over to the table and grabbed the flowers out of the vase and away from Ms. Ubusuna.

"What are you doing? You give those back!" Ms. Ubusuna shouted. _Wait, I just got over my blond moment. If those flowers smell like the box we found in the manhole then…_

Lin searched though the stems, pulling something out of them. He gasped at what he held in his hand. Lin handed the thing to Naru.

It was hitogata.

"You must be exhausted by now, Ms. Ubusuna," Naru told her, almost changing the subject of blame away from her. "A zuhzou takes both mental and physical strength, and it seems you're beginning to look pretty worn out."

"Perhaps…" Ms. Ubusuna muttered "I suppose you could be right."

"Monk, call the principal and inform him that Ms. Ubusuna needs counseling," Naru ordered.

"Right."

_It's official. People with supernatural powers are crazies. I'd rather be cursed than one of them._

**_A few days later…_**

"Woah… all of them?" Monk asked, as though he was expecting me to just jump up and go "nahh! Early April fools!"

_It's official. Not only are supernatural power people crazy, there ganging up against me._

_I'm going to kill Naru, and no one will ever find the body._

I'm sitting here with this stupid button pushing test in my lap. I'm supposed to push the button I'd think would light up, and I haven't gotten a damn one of them. I blame faulty paws. Why was everyone here watching all of this happen? Because they have no lives and found my cursing hilarious.

"Wow, to miss that many of them…" even John was getting a kick out of it, and he was usually polite around me because of my curse.

"Yes, it's terribly impressive, Mai," Masako told me, and I almost thought it was a compliment.

"Or something." Ayako finished for her.

"Shut it."

"I knew it," Naru said from where he sat behind his laptop. "Everyone, Mai is a latent psychic."

"It's just dog instincts." I lied. Well, dogs like to chase bright lights, and any dog would be able to get at least one of those things right if they were taught to press the buttons. But I swore on my grave a few days ago that there was no way in hell I was going to be a psychic crazy. _Seems I'm still karma's favorite…_

I was ignored. They knew I was lying anyway.

"You've attempted to guess which of the bulbs in the box would light up and make a sound and hit the corresponding button over a thousand times now," Naru explained. "To not get one hit is almost a mathematical impossibility. I think it's clear that this means Mai's sharp instincts on this case weren't a coincidence."

"Well I gotta say I thought she was a rock star a long time ago," Monk praised me. "Remember the creepy dollhouse? She fell down the well and had that trippy dream, and then when the gas line was on fire she saw that kid." Monk leered at me. "You absolutely sure that wasn't a spirit?"

"I'm so not going there."

"Actually, that could be true. Mai is extraordinarily sensitive when it comes to those who have intent to do harm," Naru agreed. _Did I just get a complement from Naru? I didn't know it was even possible for him..._"She has a very natural sense of self-preservation… much like a wild animal, she can instinctively sniff out friend from foe." _Ahh, that's more like it. That's a horrible pun by the way._

"So although Mai look ordinary on the outside, inside she's all 'jungle cat'?" Ayako asked, holding in laughter.

I burst out with a howl, before muttered "I chase cats."

"Alright then. Mountain wolf. Work better?"

"I won't complain."

**Like I said, short chapter. Well, a little shorter than usual at least. I was actually expecting it to be shorter.**

**Alright, here's the poll results. In first place- MaixMonk. Second place-MaixMasako, and no one voted for anything else.**

**But neither of them are what I'm picking! I always said I wasn't going by what the poll vote, and that it was all for more or less other people's opinions. In the end, after much discussion with others and planning, I have decided Mai is to be in a threesome! (Hey, you can't be too surprised if you've looked through my file. I do threesome's all the time.) **

**I will tell you this though. Masako is one of the other two. I'm going to set up a poll for it, and will put updates and what all of you guys think every new chapter I put up!**

**I will tell you this though. Masako is one of the other two. I'm going to set up a poll for it, and will put updates and what all of you guys think every new chapter I put up!**


End file.
